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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
The ZIFA Normalisation Committee have failed to meet their own deadline to appoint a substantive senior national team coach and have turned to Manica Diamonds gaffer Jairos Tapera to take charge of the Warriors on yet another interim basis.
Despite claiming that they had received 180 applications for the Warriors job, ZIFA have not managed to identify the man to lead Zimbabwe’s bid for a place at the 2026 World Cup.
Instead, they have brought in a coalition of local coaches to once again work with the national team.
Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa yesterday announced that the high-riding Manica Diamonds gaffer will lead Zimbabwe in the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Lesotho in Johannesburg on June 7 and hosts South Africa at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein four days later.
Tapera will be assisted by Ngezi Platinum’s Takesure Chiragwi and Saul Chaminuka of GreenFuel.
Veteran Sunday Chidzambwa returns to the Warriors fold, but the history-making coach will this time be a technical advisor.
There was no immediate announcement of a goalkeepers’ trainer suggesting the hasty manner in which the appointments were made.
The fate of former Motor Action and Zimbabwe midfielder Clement Matawu was also not clarified in a brief statement issued by Mutasa yesterday.
Matawu is expected to be retained as team manager.
The interim technical team is expected to also lead Zimbabwe in the COSAFA Cup tournament that is scheduled for South Africa later next month.
“Following the purposeful and expansive process conducted by the ZIFA Normalisation Committee to appoint a substantive head coach for our senior men’s national team, my committee and I are pleased to announce that the process has reached its finalisation.
“However, due to ongoing discussions with the selected candidate, we are unable to make the necessary announcement at this stage,” said Mutasa.
“Given that our World Cup qualifiers versus Lesotho and South Africa are imminent, the delay in the conclusion of this appointment has necessitated the appointment of an interim coaching team that will take charge of our two FIFA World Cup Qualifiers as well as the COSAFA Senior Men’s Tournament that starts immediately after these qualifiers.
“This will assist the ZIFA Normalisation Committee to conclude the substantive appointment of the head coach of the senior men’s national team meticulously, thoroughly, and successfully.
“Therefore, the ZIFA Normalisation Committee is pleased to announce the appointment, on an interim basis, of: Jairos Tapera (Head Coach), Takesure Chiragwi (Assistant Coach), Saul Chaminuka (Assistant Coach), Sunday Chidzambwa (Technical Advisor).
“This team will take charge of the senior men’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa and will also lead the team into the COSAFA Men’s Tournament immediately after these assignments.
“We have full confidence they will ably lead the team. It is our hope that the nation will rally behind the team and unite to achieve the success we all so dearly desire,” said Mutasa.
Tapera was rewarded for championing Manica Diamonds’ promising campaign in the 2024 Premiership title race.
The Gem Boys are at the top of the log table, unbeaten in their last nine games, after recovering from a dismal start.
Tapera becomes the fourth interim coach appointed by the ZIFA Normalisation Committee during their one-year stint.
It has become the norm for the vested custodians of the Zimbabwean game to employ coaches on ad-hoc basis, with Chidzambwa, Brazilian-born former Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito and Norman Mapeza all taking charge at different junctures.
The latest appointments, however, have come late as Zimbabwe are expected to plunge into the World Cup qualifying games in exactly 14 days.
This means the coaches did not exercise their mandate of selecting the team by identifying players that suit their playing philosophy.
FIFA rules and regulations are quite explicit that associations wishing to call up a player must notify the player in writing at least 14 days before the first day of the international window.
In this case the window opens on June 3, which is just about 10 days away.
This would mean that the Normalisation Committee, with limited understanding of current technical issues and a restricted knowledge of the players, have assumed the responsibility of selecting the team.
Warriors’ rivals Lesotho and South Africa have since announced provisional squads for the upcoming matches against Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter