Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
STELLA GOTAL has been handed a four-year mission to rebuild the Mighty Warriors and deliver qualification for either the FIFA Women’s World Cup or the Olympic Games by 2028.
But the 33-year-old Croatian will have little time to settle into the job.
Her first test comes in October when Zimbabwe face Malawi in an Olympic qualifier, giving the new coach an early examination of the team she has been asked to rebuild.
“The agreement with ZIFA is to come up with something strong for the long term and part of that will also be the development of a quality national team from the youth,” said Gotal.
“I want to be involved even in the grassroots because one of the pillars of talent identification is to know these girls from that age.”
Gotal was unveiled at the Harare International Conference Centre on Thursday alongside new Warriors coach Ramon Catala and the national junior team coaches.
A decade ago, the Mighty Warriors became the first Zimbabwean football team to qualify for the Olympic Games when they reached Rio 2016.
Zimbabwe were ranked 88th in the world around that period. They have since slipped to 127th.
Gotal knows both the history she inherits and the size of the rebuilding job ahead.
“I understand the history that the national team carries and have an idea of the potential that Zimbabwe has.
“We are a team now.
“You want to win, and I want to win too, so let’s work together,” she said.
Beyond the senior national team, Gotal wants to build a talent identification system beginning at Under-14 level, with provincial tournaments feeding players into the national age-group teams and eventually the Mighty Warriors.
She hopes to borrow from the model used in her native Croatia, with coaches assessing players from the regions before bringing the best together for further selection.
“We want a mixture of experience and potential, so it will be gradual,” she said.
Gotal will begin attending domestic matches and visiting provinces as she assesses the state of the women’s game and builds a wider player pool.
She will also scout Zimbabwean players based abroad.
“I know that abroad there are many players who are eligible to play for Zimbabwe, and we have to promptly identify them so that we stay connected.
“The doors will be open for everyone for equal opportunities, so it will be up to their performances because the national team jersey should be earned.”
A UEFA Pro Licence holder with a Master’s degree in Kinesiology, Gotal places strong emphasis on conditioning, organisation and tactical flexibility.
“I like it when a team is organised, disciplined and proactive for us to play with high intensity and confidence,” she said.
“One key I would like to mention is adaptability.
“From my experience, you don’t play the same way in big and small games, so adaptability will be a main priority depending on the opponent as we adjust our approach.”
She has also requested GPS tracking equipment for the Mighty Warriors as part of efforts to improve conditioning and player monitoring.
“I have requested the GPS Vest Tracker system. It was not there yet on the women’s side, so we need to upgrade before the beginning of the journey.”
Gotal also believes Zimbabwean players have physical attributes that can be better exploited once complemented by tactical development.
“I noticed that African or Zimbabwean players are better athletically and physically than other continents. It is an advantage that we could use and then enhance ourselves tactically,” she said.
She will be assisted by Arthur Gorejena, whose knowledge of the local game she believes will be important during her first months in Zimbabwe.
“I have to work with one Zimbabwean coach. It’s very important to have someone who understands the culture so that they can also introduce me to the current players,” she said.
“Then in the camp, we want to have one person from the previous set-up who already knows how to work with the team to make it faster to implement new systems.”
For the Malawi assignment, Gotal says she will have to marry what she finds on the ground with the methods and experience she brings to the job.
“I will try to combine the resources that we have at the moment with the experience that I already have, the quality of the players available, and come up with a methodology that would fit us for the best possible result,” she said.
The 2028 mission starts with Malawi.
