adminthe resignation of Rahman Gumbo and his contract is set to expire in September.
However, Zifa chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze, yesterday revealed that they had successfully negotiated for the extension of the coach’s stay in Zimbabwe.
Pagels has been Zifa’s national technical adviser since 2010 on a government-to-government agreement and his main thrust was grassroots’ football development before being installed as the senior national team coach last November.
Speaking in the sidelines of the Zifa Goalkeeping Coaching Course in Harare yesterday, Mashingaidze said Pagels could be given the green light to continue with his efforts.
Zifa will hold a board meeting today in preparation of the association’s Annual General Meeting to be held tomorrow where the fate of the Warriors coach could also be discussed.
“I can confirm that Zifa have sought permission from the authorities in terms of the period and we managed to get a facility for him to be able to be with us up to next year.
“In the meantime we are working on house-keeping issues considering that his contract will expire in September,” said Mashingaidze.
The German football expert has been tasked with assembling a competitive side after the drastic decision by the football mother body to disband the national team in the wake of Zimbabwe’’s dismal failure to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Pagels has since begun his journey with the new-look Warriors and despite initial doubts about the direction that Zimbabwe football was going to take, the football fraternity seem to appreciate his new philosophy.
Despite going down 2-1 in his first assignment in Egypt last month, it appears his “tika taka” football and inclination on youth could provide the panacea to Zimbabwe’s woes.
The Zifa leadership is greatly impressed with the progress he has made so far and is optimistic that the whole initiative will yield desired outcomes, with patience and time.
Mashingaidze also confirmed today’s board meeting where they will set the tone for tomorrow’s annual general meeting.
The Zifa chief executive also hinted that issues surrounding the conclusion of the Asiagate and Centralgate investigations will be high on the agenda.
“It’s the usual agenda where we expect the president’s report, the financial report and the constitutional review. We also have an update on Asiagate and on Centralgate and an update on legal issues.
“The committee that is handling that area (Centralgate) is set to resume its work this month to finalise in terms of disciplinary proceedings.
“And then in terms of Asiagate, there will be an update in terms of what Fifa have requested of late in terms of making sure that we furnish them with information in terms of the appeals, which we did on the 17th of April.
“We should have appeals coming through this month for the four namely the two players Thomas Sweswe and Method Mwanjali, the coach Sunday Chidzambwa and a member of the fourth estate.
“The dates (for the hearing) will only be arrived at after May 18 because the committees said all those who are working outside Zimbabwe to be back first and then they will be able to set the dates.
“Then we will also look at our standing committees and beyond that we should take note to start preparing for the 2014 AGM which is an elective general assembly meeting.
“We are also going to have the ratification of the election of John Phiri (as a board member) who got in unopposed after the close of nomination last month,” said Mashingaidze.
The Zifa boss also applauded the efforts to upgrade and improve the standards of goalkeepers produced in Zimbabwe through the five-day course facilitated by Zifa, Fifa and the Zimbabwe-Germany Society.
The Goalkeeping Coaching Course is being conducted by experienced Fifa Instructor Alejandro Heredia from South Africa.
Heredia said the aim was to churn out top notch goalkeepers in the class of Bruce Grobbelaar, Energy Murambadoro and Tapuwa Kapini.
“The intention is to train the goalkeeping department. It’s fairly new in Fifa but the whole idea is to spread around the whole world the ideas that we have so that we have good goalkeepers trainers.
“I know some names of great goalkeepers to come from Zimbabwe like Bruce Grobelaar, Energy (Murambadoro), (Tapuwa) Kapini and now (Washington) Arubi, great goalkeepers! I am sure some of these guys should have come through your hands but this is not the end of the road. We need to go further with the passion and the experience that you have,” said Heredia.
Zifa Board member competitions, Benedict Moyo, who was the guest of honour, said the national association has seen it fit to have a course targeting the goalkeepers’ trainers for the first time.
Moyo said Zifa will continue with the initiatives and are planning to go down to the grassroots.
Online Reporter