Chronicle EditorRicky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE newly elected Zifa board is contemplating introducing performance based contracts for national teams’ technical staff members.
Zifa vice president Gift Banda said the new board was shocked to learn that only the senior men’s national team coach Sunday Chidzambwa had a contract while his assistants and coaches of other national teams worked on “goodwill”.
Banda, who handles the portfolio for all national teams, said the board will discuss the engagement of national team coaches on permanent basis so that they can champion the development and scout for talent at all corners.
“In my understating, the assistant coaches didn’t have any contracts, with the head coach being the only one with a contract. Even the team manager didn’t have a contract before, it was an anomaly. We want to sign contracts with all the coaches,” he said.
Banda said the new Zifa board was striving to be as professional as possible on issues to deal with its employees that include coaches.
“We want to get to a stage where all our national teams coaches will not be attached to any club so that they can concentrate solely on the job of coaching the national teams.
“We’ve got a good database of players plying their trade all over the world but our coaches rely on media reports that so and so is doing well abroad. What we want is for our coaches to have such information so that they make informed decisions regarding the players,” said Banda.
This proposed move however demands adequate funding to enable Zifa to meet costs such as paying coaches’ salaries.
On Tuesday, Zifa announced technical changes within the senior and Under-23 men’s teams, with the Warriors casualties being assistant coaches Lloyd Mutasa and Rahman Gumbo who were replaced by the new Under-23 coach Tonderai Ndiraya and Bongani Mafu in the set-up.
Ndiraya and Mafu bounced back in the Warriors structures ahead of the crucial Afcon qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville in March.
Brenna Msiska was retained as the goalkeepers’ coach.
Wellington Mpandare will remain the team manager while Nicholas Munyonga replaced Soman Mudariki as the team doctor.
Eddie Chivero and Robert Matoka have been appointed as the team liaison officer and head of security respectively.
Mandla Mpofu and Lizwe Sweswe will assist Ndiraya at Under-23 while Tembo Chuma is the goalkeepers’ coach.
Chivero will also be the Under-23 team manager.
— @ZililoR
Online Reporter