Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A NEW era for the Mighty Warriors begins in earnest this week when new coach Stella Gotal starts to attend Women football matches to familiarise and assess the quality of local talent within the country.
The new coach will be in the stands when the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup Round 16 unfolds with FC Platinum Royals playing Correctional Queens.
Kwekwe Queens’ battle against Harare City Queens is the weekend’s headline fixture.
Gotal’s attendance will hand a lifeline to players who have long been overlooked at national team level.
Among the targets are fringe players, academy graduates and other budding stars.
“I will start to attend some local games so that I familiarise with the faces and the type of talent that we have,” she said.
“I also understand there is a tournament for the young ones, so I am attending that as well while the weekend brings the national tournament (Munhumutapa Challenge Cup) into the picture.
“We will have to balance all that.”
While there is vast emerging talent eyeing a breakthrough, a lot more pressure will be on the veterans.
Celebrated stars who include Daisy Kaitano, Sheila Antonio, Rutendo Makore, Christabel Katona, Priviledge Mupeti, Bridget Mutaurwa and Cynthia Shonga, will all have to impress the new coaches to protect their spots on the team.
Under Gotal and her assistant Arthur Gorejena, pedigree alone will not secure a call-up with form, fitness, technical abilities and discipline also counting.
“We want to see who is performing now, who has the potential, who performed last year so that we strike a balance of both fresh legs and experienced players on the team,” she said.
“We are not shutting the old players out but we are also not guaranteeing spots because I believe the national team jersey should be earned on merit.
“Assistant coach is familiar with the local game, so his presence preserves some continuity and makes life easier for me and the other new guys we are working with.”
Gotal will also head to the diaspora to scout Zimbabwean talent based in South Africa, Europe, the United States and other nations.
