ZIFA is understood to have engaged a German national to take over as coach of the Warriors following the resignation of Rahman Gumbo on Thursday.
REPORT BY SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Zifa, already have Klaus Dieter Pagels from Germany as technical adviser in charge of junior development.
Pagels is reported to have helped in identifying the coach, who is expected to be in the country by next Tuesday. Pagels, an experienced coach, has also previously been linked with the Warriors job.
However, no official position could be obtained from Zifa over the identity of the coach.
Sources though said: “Pagels will be instrumental in getting Zifa a coach and it’s likely to come from some of his connections in Germany. ”
If that succeeds, it will be second German coach for Zimbabwe after the late Reinhard Fabisch of the “Dream Team” fame.
But what is clear is that the soccer mother body wants the coach to be in the country as early as possible to rebuild a new-look Warriors following the disbandment of the national team over the failure to qualify for the 2013 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals to be staged in South Africa.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Gumbo resigned from his post on Thursday — just hours before a Zifa board meeting.
His resignation came after a Zifa high-performance technical committee had recommended the appointment of a foreign coach after it carried out an in-depth analysis of the report on the doomed 2013 (Afcon) campaign submitted to them by Gumbo at the request of Zifa.
A local mining company is understood to have been sounded on the idea of hiring a foreign coach and is said to be prepared to bankroll the coach’s salary once the recommendations of the technical committee are approved by Zifa.
Gumbo was installed Warriors coach in March this year for the remainder of the 2013 and 2014 qualifiers following the suspension of Norman Mapeza for his alleged involvement in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal.
The former FC Platinum coach had signed a two-year contract with his brief being to lead Zimbabwe to the 2013 Afcon and also to guide the team to the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.
Gumbo, who won league titles with Malawi’s Telecom Wanderers and Township Rollers of Botswana after having lifted the Premiership crown with Highlanders twice, however, failed to lead the Warriors to next year’s finals.
The Warriors crashed out of Afcon qualifiers following a 0-2 defeat to Angola having gone into the match carrying a healthy 3-1 lead from the first leg in Harare.
