Online Reporter
Robson Sharuko
Metros Editor
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.
Mathew Masinge