adminGERMAN expatriate Klaus Pagels will be sitting on the Warriors bench for the last time this afternoon as he guides the youthful Warriors in the final of the regional Cosafa Cup against the hosts Zambia. The expatriate has already packed his clothes and is ready to catch the flight back home upon return with the Warriors as his contract has come to an end.
Pagels came to the country to assist the national association with development structures on a government to government arrangement about three years ago but he found himself having been thrown into the deep end to coach the Warriors after the resignation of then Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo.
He did not manage to win any match in the World Cup qualifiers, but has been largely successful at the ongoing Cosafa tournament in Zambia with a squad of locally based stars, and if you consider that his selection was restricted to two teams per team, you then realise that he had done so well under the circumstances, yet he looks set to bring us the regional title again.
Pagels revealed that he has already secured a job at a school back home to coach football for six months, before he decides what next to do, and former Dynamos and Black Rhinos striker Ian Gorowa has been heavily tipped to take over from him, after the South African based coach held a one to one talk with Zifa president Cuthbert Dube in Harare recently.
The Warriors will be seeking to extend their dominance in the tournament, as the most successful country after winning it four times, in 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2009. Zimbabwe defeated Zambia 3-1 in the 2009 final before a sponsorship withdrawal forced the cancellation of the next three editions. The only bad tag that the Warriors would want to shrug off is that they have never won successive Cosafa Cup championships – a feat achieved by Zambia (1997-1998) and South Africa (2007-2008).
Should Zambia manage to use home advantage and win the title, they will equal our record of four titles, after winning it in 1997, 1998 and 2006. Angola and South Africa have also won it three times since it started in 1997.
Tendai Ndoro, with two goals already, is eyeing the golden boot in the tournament and emulate Cuthbert Malajila, who finished as the top goal scorer in 2009 with four goals on home soil.
Ndoro, the leading scorer in the Premiership with 11 goals from 15 matches, is in top form and the brace he scored against Lesotho certainly boosted his confidence and also did a lot of good to his profile and it will not be surprising if foreign clubs come knocking on the doors of Chicken Inn for the striker’s signature after the tournament.
He has the pace, dribbling skills and height to match the standards out there, and it’s only a matter of time before he breaks to a better foreign league. He is Chicken Inn’s most prized possession now, but if you think of it, they almost lost him to a Botswana club at the end of last season after he did not produce his best at the club, and in fact, he went to train in Botswana during the off-season break, only for the Bulawayo club to stand their ground.
And interestingly, he also had some time at Highlanders training when it appeared he was no longer wanted at Chicken Inn, or he did not want to be at Chicken Inn anymore.
Zambia beat South Africa 5-3 on penalties after a goalless draw in the second of the day’s semifinals to make it to the final. Zambia converted all their kicks but Lerato Chabangu had his effort saved, leaving South Africa to play Lesotho in the third place play-off.
Zambia and South Africa played at a furious pace for much of the game which went two hours without a goal. Zambia dominated possession and the corner count was 13-3 in their favour but Bafana Bafana twice struck the woodwork and might have snuck a victory inside regulation time.
Pagels also knows that the final against Zambia will not be easy, noting the difference of shape in players.
“Look at the physical condition of the Zambian and South African players. They are in good condition and the same cannot be said about our team. Most of their players seem to be training in very good conditions.”
But the expatriate has won some friends in Zimbabwe who marvel his passing game and his ability to shift players from one position to the other, with captain Masimba Mambare thrust into the central midfield role, which is different from the wing he is used to at club level.
Pagels confirmed that he is going back home and has already secured a six-month contract as a sports teacher at his former school in his home town Stade.
“They (Zifa) approached me on an interim. So my contract is up. We will go to Zambia with the team and I will go home when I return. My air ticket has already been booked for 31 July. I signed a contract in Stade and would be starting on 6 August up to February next year. After that I will take up any offer from anywhere in football but if I don’t get any I will stay at the school for a longer period. But German football authorities have told me that there might be some short term projects I might conduct as well,” said Pagels.
The coach said as it stands he doesn’t have the African Nations Championship qualifier away in Mauritius on the weekend of 26-28 July in his programme.
“I will be sorting one or two things here with the Embassy and I don’t think I would be able to make that trip. If it is possible that the team would have returned by 30 July then maybe I can go as I would be leaving the following day,” said Pagels.
The coach said while he enjoyed working with the players on the rebuilding exercise for the short time he was the national team gaffer, life has to go on.
“Football is not about feeling it is also business. We started this rebuilding exercise and the guys were adapting very well and needed about six or eight matches to really come up.
“I hope the boys will succeed. It was really good working with these players. I am impressed that within the short time the players were adapting, working hard and wanted to have success,” said Pagels.
The Swan song (in ancient Greek ) is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that swans (Cygnus ) sing a beautiful song in the moment before death, having been silent (or alternatively, not so musical) during most of their lifetime. This belief, whose basis in actuality is long-debated, had become proverbial in Ancient Greece by the third century BC, and was reiterated many times in later Western poetry and art. The nation hopes Pagels, who has not won a competitive game as Warriors coach, will do it on his supposed last game in charge and give us the trophy.
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