adminZIFA Southern Region chairman Musa Mandaza has expressed misgivings over the recent appointments of national football teams coaches saying the selection was biased against the region.
Speaking during a ceremony to welcome the Bulawayo Under-20 football team from the National Youth Games held in Masvingo at a Bulawayo hotel on Friday, Mandaza said the fact that the team came second at the inter-provincial Games was a sign that the region had quality junior coaches, but it came as a shock when Zifa overlooked coaches from the region when national team appointments were made early this month.
The provincial football team scooped a silver medal at the games after falling to Masvingo in the final on penalties.
“I do not know why they did not appoint coaches from the region when there is ample proof they are able as shown by their exploits in the Youth Games. The team has managed to finish in the top three in the past three editions of the Youth Games which shows the coaches are doing a wonderful job,” said Mandaza.
The veteran administrator took Zifa High Performance Technical Committee member, Cosmas Zulu, who was part of the proceedings to task over why they had failed to identify talented junior coaches in the Southern Region to lead national teams.
Mandaza said they could not be content with the fact that coaches from the region had been assigned various positions as assistants.
“We cannot celebrate being assistants because Bulawayo is the hub of junior football and other provinces envy our youth structures but we are made to come second when it comes to coaching national teams. Why? We are the ones who should be taking the leading role,” he said.
Zifa appointed Dynamos mentor, Callisto Pasuwa head coach of the Olympic squad, the Under-23 team, taking over from the legendary Peter Ndlovu who joined South African league champions Mamelodi Sundowns as manager last year.
Shabanie Mine technical director Jairos Tapera was retained as the national Under-20 coach with little known Tafadzwa Mashiri, who once coached Gutu High School in 2012, being made the head coach of the Under-17 national team and former Kiglon head coach Pearson Matipedza coming in as the new national Under-15 head coach.
Matipedza replaces Dumaza Dube of Highlanders who took the Zimbabwe team to the Youth Olympics four years ago.
James Mohala from the Naph structures will head the Under-13 national team.
Inline Academy coach, Sithethelelwe Sibanda, has been appointed head coach of both the Under-20 and Under-23 women’s national teams making her the only senior mentor to come from the region while little known Hwange High School English teacher Evelyn Rimai was made the new Under-17 national team boss.
The appointments were made by the Zifa board after recommendations were made by the High Performance Technical Committee.
The committee is tasked with making technical recommendations to the football mother-body and is headed by Zifa board member, John Phiri and also includes Gibson Homela, Zulu, Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association head, Bhekimpilo Nyoni, Misheck Chidzambwa, Charles Sibanda, Mike Ngore and Zifa technical director, Takaendesa Jongwe.
Coaches from the region were reportedly relegated to assistant positions in an unofficial list that came out in the Press but has not been confirmed by Zifa with Highlanders’s Peter “Captain Oxo” Nkomo being moved to the women Under-20 and Under-23 national teams as goalkeepers’ coach and Hwange’s Under-20 coach Mebelo Njekwa coming as assistant to Sibanda while Debra Green is listed as the manager.
Former Hwange goalkeeper and coach, Weekly Mwale was listed as the men’s Under-17 goalkeepers’ coach. Former Dynamos shot stopper Labani Kandi will take charge of the boys’ Under-15 goalkeepers while Nkululeko Dhlamini former Chapungu and Dynamos goalkeeper returns to the national fold as the Under-13 goalkeepers’ coach.
Former Caps United goalie Richard Tswatswa will be in charge of the Under-20 men’s side with Bantu Rovers’ assistant coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu assisting Tapera.
Online Reporter