MARIO HAS ALREADY MADE HISTORY, SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

Robson Sharuko

Metros Editor

MARIO “Super Mario” Marinica will make history as the FIRST foreign coach to guide the Warriors at the AFCON finals in Morocco.

Until now, the Warriors have been under the guidance of local coaches at the AFCON finals.

The only European coach who has had a dance with the Warriors at the AFCON finals was Dutchman Dick de Boer.

He was Charles Mhlauri’s assistant at the 2006 AFCON finals. While the faces of the local coaches have changed, there has been one common denominator − the Warriors finished BOTTOM of their group on all the five occasions.

The big question now is − will a foreign coach end that poor run and ensure that, for once, the Warriors don’t finish their campaign rooted at the bottom of the table?

In today’s AFCON, a third place finish in the group could be enough to qualify for the knockout phase of the tournament – something which the Warriors have been trying, and failing, to achieve in the past two decades.

This is how Super Mario took Malawi to the Round of 16 at the 2021 AFCON finals after the Flames finished as one of the best four teams in third-place.

A victory over Zimbabwe was the defining moment for them as they ended on four points while the Warriors could only get three points from their stunning 2-1 win over Guinea.

Those Warriors went toe-to-toe with eventual winners Senegal in the first group match before a penalty, converted by Sadio Mane in the 97th minute, broke their hearts.

Sunday Chidzambwa was the first coach to guide the Warriors at the AFCON finals during their historic maiden appearance in Tunisia in 2004.

The Warriors finished bottom of their table with three points in a group which had Egypt, Cameroon and Algeria.

They were beaten by the Pharaohs and the Indomitable Lions but beat the Desert Foxes 2-1.

Then, the baton was passed on to Charles Mhlauri who took charge of the team at the 2006 AFCON finals in Egypt.

The Warriors finished bottom of their group with three points after defeats to Nigeria and Senegal and a victory over a World Cup-bound Ghana.

The baton was then passed to Kalisto Pasuwa when the Warriors returned to the AFCON finals in 2017 in Gabon.

The Warriors finished bottom of their group, without a point, after defeats to Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.

It’s the worst campaign in their history.

Chidzambwa, the country’s most successful coach, returned to guide the Warriors at the 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt.

Again, the Warriors finished bottom of their group after defeats to Egypt and the DRC while they picked up a point against Uganda in a 1-1 draw.

This campaign was marred by ugly boardroom battles between the players and ZIFA over allowances and Nyasha Mushekwi ended up using his own money to dangle a bonus for the team to try and beat the DRC.

Then, at the 2021 AFCON finals in Cameroon, ZIFA handed the baton to Norman Mapeza.

Once again, the Warriors finished bottom of their group with three points from their win over Guinea.

Now, can Super Mario change all that?

The Romanian took charge of the Warriors last month after they had already secured qualification for Morocco.

They were under the guidance of German coach Michael Nees. It’s the second time that ZIFA have replaced the man, who would have secured qualification, with another coach ahead of the AFCON finals.

Four years ago, ZIFA wielded the axe on Zdravko Logarusic after he had guided the Warriors to the AFCON finals.

Mapeza was put in charge of the team for the tournament.