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Langton Nyakwenda
A NEW Warriors coach is set to be unveiled in time for Zimbabwe’s African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers — scheduled to start in September — which mark the senior team’s first international assignment after nearly two years on the sidelines.
Amid reports of jostling by some agents to secure the job for their clients, it has since emerged that the Normalisation Committee running ZIFA want to do some due diligence before the appointment.
It is believed the new coach will only be announced after a rigorous process that will involve some “key football stakeholders’’.
The Normalisation Committee insists it will not be rushed into making a decision.
Head of the committee Lincoln Mutasa told The Sunday Mail Sport yesterday that his executive are still familiarising themselves with how ZIFA have been operating.
Mutasa — who knuckled down to business on Monday following his return from Cote d’Ivoire, where he attended the 2026 World Cup qualifiers draw — said they were yet to formally discuss the Warriors coaching post.
FC Platinum gaffer Norman Mapeza was the last coach to take charge of the national team, when he guided the Warriors to a first-round exit at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon in January 2022.
A month after the tournament, Zimbabwe were suspended by FIFA.
While noting the interest the vacant Warriors coach post has created, Mutasa called for patience.
“At the moment, it’s important to first understand the structure of the organisation before making key decisions.
“So, at the moment, we haven’t yet sat down to officially discuss the Warriors coach,” Mutasa said.
“Once we get a full understanding of the whole structure, we will then engage key stakeholders, and we believe, that way, we can build a strong foundation.
“There are so many urgent issues, so it’s a matter of prioritising. Sometimes you don’t need to rush . . .
“But, obviously, the Warriors coach will be appointed in time for the CHAN qualifiers.”
According to the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the qualifiers for the 2024 CHAN edition will commence in September.
The CHAN is a tournament reserved only for players plying their trade in their national leagues.
After the start of the CHAN qualifiers, the Warriors foreign legion are expected to jet in for the World Cup assignments, which are set for November.
For the World Cup qualifiers, the Warriors were drawn in Group C — which also includes West African giants Nigeria; neighbours and rivals South Africa; Benin; Rwanda; and Lesotho. Before those qualifiers, FIFA have set aside two international weeks in September and October.
The new Warriors coach will need time to scout for players ahead of a tight schedule.
While a number of names have been touted — including that of former Warriors goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, Kaitano Tembo, Kalisto Pasuwa and Charles Mhlauri — the general consensus within the football fraternity is that the national team coach should not be affiliated to a club.
Despite some seasoned players like Knowledge Musona, Tendai Darikwa and Khama Billiat having called time on their international careers, the incoming coach still has some stars around whom he can build his squad.
Luton Town’s Marvelous Nakamba and Marshall Munetsi of Reims will be key players in midfield; while the likes of Jordan Zemura, Teenage Hadebe and Tino Kadewere have the much-needed experience and exposure.
■ Twitter: @LangtonGuraz
Online Reporter