PREMIER Soccer League champions Dynamos will on Thursday announce their new coach to take over from the outgoing Kalisto Pasuwa whose contract expires at the end of the year.
TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
This was revealed by club chairman Keni Mubaiwa yesterday evening, soon after they had closed applications for the job.
The club’s top hierarchy then met afterwards to go through the list of the candidates who had applied for the post.
Mubaiwa said the meeting was to vet candidates, with interviews for the candidates expected to begin this morning.
“We are meeting as an executive and will go through all the applications. We will, however, announce the winning candidate on Thursday after conducting interviews,” said Mubaiwa.
The Dynamos coaching job has attracted huge interest from within and outside the country with a number of foreign coaches having reportedly submitted their applications in the hope of landing one of Zimbabwean football’s hottest seats.
The league champions ran an advert in newspapers last week calling for applications to replace the departing Pasuwa whose contract expires on December 31.
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Although the Dynamos leadership was not willing to disclose names of those who had applied, it is understood that former Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu submitted his papers and is heavily tipped to land the post.
ZPC Kariba coach Saul Chaminuka, whose team finished second to Dynamos, is also reported to have applied and is a dark horse to get the job.
However, a source yesterday confided to NewsDaySport that the executive is sharply divided on the calibre of the next coach with a section insisting that the post should be given to a Dynamos son.
This has put David “Yogi” Mandigora and Tonderai Ndiraya, who are also understood to have applied for the job, in a good position to take over. According to the advert, Dynamos are targeting a coach with at least a Caf A coaching licence and the ability to work under pressure, as well as at least three years’ experience.
Although most Zimbabwean coaches have attained the Caf A coaching licence, Kaindu — a Zambian national — is one of the few coaches who hold a Uefa B coaching badge.
Methembe Ndlovu, who owns Bantu Rovers, is one of the Zimbabwean coaches with a Uefa B coaching badge, but is highly unlikely to apply for the job because of commitment with his club.
Meanwhile, Highlanders have also intensified their search for a new coach to replace Kaindu.
The Bulawayo-based side ran an advert over the weekend calling for applications for the job.
According to the advert, Highlanders want a coach who is “a holder of a Caf A Licence or better”. They want a person who has coached at Premier League level before, and would be able to direct football development structures.
A number of coaches have been touted to take over the hot seat, but reports have emerged that the team’s executive prefers a foreign coach.
Former South African Premier Soccer League side Amazulu coach Craig Roslee has reportedly submitted his papers and so has Brazilian coach Edson Silva Dido.
Another name that has popped up is that of Scot Desmond Donaldson Bulpin and former Hwange and FC Platinum coach Tennant Chilumba, who is back in his homeland Zambia with Power Dynamos.
Bulpin (63), holder of a Uefa A Licence, is reportedly on his way to Bulawayo. He was expected in the city since last week.
Sources have said the foreign coach to be appointed will be assisted by former Zimbabwe Saints coach Bongani Mafu, who is back in the country from the United Kingdom where he was now based. Mafu was part of the Cosafa team doing analysis of the just ended AUSC Region 5 Under-20 Youth Games.
Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede yesterday said he was involved in marathon meetings, but told our sister paper The Standard at the weekend that he has received 12 CVs.
“All I can say is the 12 who have applied so far are big names and their CVs show depth. Our human resources sub-committee has already whittled down those they think should be interviewed. We will start interviews in a week’s time. Recommendations would then be made to the club executive,” Gumede told.
Foreign mentors who have coached Bosso before include Booby Clark, the late Eddie May and Zambian Dick Chama, Egyptian Mohamed Fathi and Kaindu.
Locally coaches who have been tipped to join Highlanders are Philani Ncube and Mandla Mpofu while former sons Madinda Ndlovu and Rahman Gumbo are also in the running for the job.
