Rahman Gumbo is the new Warriors interim coach following the suspension of Norman Mapeza last night.
Mapeza and his assistant Joey Antipas followed the 82 players who were suspended last week for their alleged involvement in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal.
Gumbo — who laid the groundwork for Zimbabwe’s second qualification for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt before losing one game against Nigeria and was replaced by Charles Mhlauri — will be assisted by former Dynamos gaffer David Mandigora.
Their immediate task is to assemble a team for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi on February 29.
Said chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze last night: “The board meeting resolved that everybody who is fingered in the Asiagate issue is suspended from all national team setups until they are cleared by the Zifa Ad hoc Independent Disciplinary Committee.”
Nyika Chifamba is the new team manager, replacing Sharif Mussa while Richard Tswatswa remains the goalkeepers’ coach.
The emergency meeting also resolved that legendary Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu is the new Under 23 coach and will be assisted by Callisto Pasuwa while Peter Nkomo is the goalkeepers’ coach. Former Warriors manager Chris Chitindi bounces back as the Young Warriors manager.
FC Platinum director of football development Jairos Tapera takes over from Taurai Mangwiro as the Under 20 coach with George Madira as his assistant, Lloyd Chinhava as manager and Laban Kandi as the goalkeepers’ coach.
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“The Under 17 and women football coaches will be unveiled at the next board meeting,” Mashingaidze said.
Yesterday’s emergency board meeting was chaired by acting president Ndumiso Gumede and was also attended by board member competitions and development Benedict Moyo, women football boss Mavis Gumbo and Mashingaidze while board member marketing Nigel Munyati reportedly excused himself.
Eastern Region chairman Fungai Chihuri, acting Southern, Northern and Central Region bosses Morgan Dube, Saidi Sangula and Patrick Hill were not in attendance.
The meeting started at 1600hrs and three hours later when called for the outcome, Gumede said they were still busy and it eventually ended at 830pm.
While the meeting took longer, sources indicated last night that Zifa president Cuthbert Dube had already made the decision on Mapeza and Antipas before he left on Monday for the Caf General Assembly in Gabon.
The Warriors face Burundi in the first leg of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Wednesday February 29 away, before the return leg in June and it is hoped by then the Asiagate scandal would have been cleared.
Mapeza took charge of the national team in 2009 after Sunday Chidzambwa unexpectedly stepped down following the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup triumph. Mapeza’s first mission was the Cecafa Senior Challenge in East Africa, which has now temporarily cost him his job.
A favourite of Zifa president Cuthbert Dube, Mapeza assumed full powers at the helm of the Warriors following the disastrous 0-0 home draw against the Cape Verde Islands in the qualifiers of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
He redeemed himself with two crucial home wins against Mali and Liberia, but lost 2-1 to Cape Verde in the penultimate qualifier, a match now rumoured to have been fixed, which cost the Warriors their place among the top 16 teams in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
