Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
SOME football fans have joined in the debate about the next substantive Warriors’ coach, with calls for a local gaffer growing louder in view of Zifa’s precarious financial position.
Leading the calls for Zifa to go local is legendary former Dynamos’ defender and coach David ‘Yogi’ Mandigora, who said the national association must not live beyond its financial means.
The 1980 Soccer Star of the Year said he fears the country could be banned for the second time from participating in the World Cup if Zifa fails to pay the foreign coach they would have hired.
That fear of being banned and the belief in local coaches seem to be shared by football fans and below are some views they expressed ahead of the technical and development committee’s meeting tomorrow.
James Hlomayi: Local is lekker
Garikai Chitsanzo Goremusandu: I think hiring a foreign coach defies logic since the association is in the red. They must head hunt a local coach and I think there are two capable coaches in Zimbabwe who can surpass what the previous coaches achieved. But Zifa being Zifa, no one wants to be employed and expect no remuneration, so a guarantor must be sourced by the association to ensure that the employed local coach will be paid.
Zibusiso Nyoni: Our problem is we pretend that everything is normal when circumstances dictate otherwise. We don’t have the wherewithal to pay a foreign coach.
Fletcher Ndlovu: A foreign coach works for somebody who thinks foreigners are better than yena lowu muntu as an individual. To me there is nothing wrong with qualified local coaches who are given enough resources to take the team forward.
Elder King Joel: For now it defeats logic to hire a foreign coach, especially now. In fact, even in the future. We have the arsenal to bring us glory.
Shady Dalolo Kutsanzira: Considering how debt ridden we are, it’s not prudent to hire a foreign coach at the moment. I’m sure they are very much aware of the Valinhos debacle which resulted in us being banned from World Cup qualifiers. There are quite a number of good coaches here in the country, for example, Methembe Ndlovu, Chitembwe (Lloyd) , Mapeza (Norman) and Antipas (Joe), they (can) help steer the ship.
Bhekizitha Khumalo: In Zim there is lack of common sense!!
John Hamutoni: A foreign coach is a wastage of resources, but those guys are clever, they want to siphon Zifa.
KaNgwane Ntshinga Tshabangu Addie: Let’s use our local guys, they can make it compared to foreign coaches who come and siphon cash of which we don’t have kucine kusiba ngamacala futhi.
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