Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
ZIFA’S appointment of Romanian coach Marian “Mario” Marinica to take charge of the Warriors, for the next twelve months, has sparked a nationwide debate.
There is a big constituency which feels that this is yet another poor decision by the ZIFA leaders and is questioning whether he was the best man for the job.
There is also a constituency which believes that Mario should be given a chance to guide the Warriors, with the first assignment being at the 2025 AFCON finals, in Morocco next month.
Mario’s first competitive game in charge of the Warriors will be against the Pharaohs of Egypt – the same team which ended his time as the coach of the Malawi Flames.
ZIFA highlighted the success which Mario had with the Flames at the 2021 AFCON finals as proof that, given the right conditions and support, the Romanian coach can perform wonders.
That Flames team were eliminated in the Round of 16 after a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Morocco, who also went to bow out in the next round after an extra-time defeat at the hands of Egypt.
What ZIFA didn’t tell the nation is that Mario’s Flames only needed one win in the group, a come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Warriors, for them to qualify for the knockout phase.
The Flames didn’t even finish second in their group but finished third, just a point above the Warriors who stunned the tournament by beating Guinea 2-1.
Mario’s Malawi ended the group campaign with four points, the Warriors – who were unlucky to lose to Senegal, the eventual winners of the tournament, in their group game.
The Warriors were full value for a draw until the Lions of Teranga were awarded a penalty which Sadio Mane converted in the seventh minute of time added on.
Mario, who is said to favour a type of the game called helicopter football, ended up being fired from his job amid fury among the Flames fans.
What ZIFA should also have done was to highlight Mario’s recent work, in charge of Liberia, because that is more important than what the coach was doing with Malawi four years ago.
Records show that Mario was in charge of Liberia during the 2025 AFCON qualifiers and the West African country had a disastrous campaign.
In stark contrast, Michael Nees – who was fired by ZIFA recently – dragged the Warriors to the same AFCON finals after finishing second behind Cameroon in their group.
Unlike Mario, Nees did not have home advantage.
Mario’s Liberia finished bottom of their group, with only four points to their credit, after winning just one game and drawing one other game.
His only win in the six matches came when Liberia beat Togo 1-0 in Monrovia while the draw was picked up against Togo in Lome.
However, the other four games had a familiar ending – defeat for the Liberians.
They conceded eight goals in two games against Algeria and scored only one.
They were thrashed 3-0 at home in Monrovia before being hammered 1-5 in Algeria.
ZIFA should have provided an explanation as to why they believe a man, whose team finished bottom of the group, can be considered to be a better coach than the man whom they fired – who finished second in his group.
The association have a duty to provide that explanation to answer some of the questions which the fans are asking in the wake of Mario’s appointment.
ZIFA’S POOR RECORD OF RECRUITMENT
ZIFA do not have an impressive record when it comes to the appointment of foreign coaches to take charge of the Warriors.
Recently, we revealed that ZIFA have splashed about US$1 million on four foreign coaches – Valinhos, Klaus Dieter Pagels, Zdravko Logarusic and Michael Nees – in the past 17 years and in return these gaffers have delivered just THREE wins.
The four coaches beat just two teams – Botswana and Namibia – in World Cup and AFCON qualifiers.
The investment in the foreign coaches also cost Zimbabwe a place in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers when the Warriors were disqualified after ZIFA failed to pay Tom Saintfiet his dues. Saintfiet, who was deported after coaching the Warriors in just one session, was owed US$181,000 as compensation for the cancellation of his contract.
The actual cost of the investment into these foreign coaches, including their upkeep during their stay here and holiday trips in foreign countries, amounts to US$991,000.
Pagels did not win any of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers he took charge of during his short stint as Warriors coach.
The Warriors lost back-to-back World Cup qualifiers against Egypt (1-2 in Cairo and 2-4 in Harare) and also lost 0-1 to Guinea.
Valinhos beat just ONE opponent in the 10 matches that he was in charge of the Warriors when his men defeated Namibia 2-0 at Rufaro.
Loga beat just ONE opponent during his time when he was in charge of the Warriors when his men edged Botswana 1-0 in Francistown.
Nees beat just ONE opponent during his time when he was in charge of the Warriors when his men defeated Namibia in back-to-back matches.
This means that the US$1 million which has been splashed on the foreign coaches in the past 17 years has just brought the rewards of beating Botswana and Namibia.
Nees, who will be paid a handsome amount in compensation, has not won a game in the last 12 months of action.
Nees’ last victory was a 3-1 win over Namibia in Johannesburg on October 14, 2024, and this means that a full year has passed since he last picked a victory as a coach.
In the eight games his Warriors played since that win over Namibia, his team drew four and lost four and we must be the only country in the world which was still finding hope in a coach who is winless in 12 months.
Nees’ Warriors failed to score in their last four games – a 0-1 defeat to Rwanda, a 0-1 defeat to Benin, a 0-1 defeat to Lesotho and a goalless draw against South Africa.
NOT EVERYONE IS AGAINST MARIO’S APPOINTMENT
Not everyone, though, is criticising the recruitment of Mario.
Tinashe Chiuyu, a football fan, came out in full support of ZIFA.
“I don’t know how he failed in Malawi but I remember that AFCON. Appointed a few days prior to the tournament, his team was further dealt with a COVID blow.
“Malawi did quite well. They were brilliant against Guinea in the first match and narrowly lost. Guess who they beat in the second match? Yes, the Warriors.
“Who remembers how Wadi’s goal was cancelled by two brilliant goals from Mhango. After that they held Senegal to a nill all draw and even had a penalty controversially chalked off b VAR.
“That penalty could have meant they topped the group. They eventually bowed out of the tournament when they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat by Morocco. That’s after they took the lead.
“Malawi under him were fast, organised and difficult to play against. From what I saw of him during that tournament, he is miles ahead of Nees. He will make difficult decisions that will surprise us.
“He once omitted Gerald Phiri and introduced unheralded players. Expect the same with players like Godknows who only God knows why he is still in that squad. Heads will roll if ZIFA allows this guy to work.”
Mathew Masinge