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NewsDay

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Zifa closes in on Pasuwa package

Sport
ZIFA is close to striking a deal with an unnamed company to pay Kalisto Pasuwa who resigned as coach of the Warriors two weeks ago over outstanding payments in salaries and allowances.

ZIFA is close to striking a deal with an unnamed company to pay Kalisto Pasuwa who resigned as coach of the Warriors two weeks ago over outstanding payments in salaries and allowances.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

CALLISTO-PASUWA

The Zifa board is expected to meet in Harare tomorrow to discuss Pasuwa’s resignation with reports suggesting the soccer controlling body wants to persuade the coach to rescind his decision and wants to dangle that sponsorship package.

Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela confirmed yesterday efforts were being made to retain Pasuwa as coach of the national team. He said the former Dynamos coach had done very well under difficult circumstances and remains one of the best coaches in Zimbabwe.

“I can confirm that Zifa is determined to keep Pasuwa. We still need his services. He has done very well as coach of our national teams and is one of the best coaches in the country.

The board will be meeting on Friday (tomorrow) to discuss the issue. I can’t say much about what has happened so far as far as efforts to pay the coach are concerned, but what I can only say is that we are looking for sponsorship not just to pay the coach, but for all our national teams,” said Gwesela.

However, an informed source said a deal had already been struck with one company which wants to come on board and pay the coach. The source added that what was now left was to engage the coach over the issue of salary.

“There is a company that wants to come on board and pay the coach. A meeting will be held on Friday to discuss the issue but what is just left is the engagement of Pasuwa over issues of salary.

Everything will be clear after the meeting,” said the source. Pasuwa was doubling as coach of the Young Warriors and the senior team. He lost just once in the competitive matches he has presided over — the 3-0 defeat to South Africa in the African Championship two weeks ago — since his appointment to the post.

He led the Young Warriors to the Africa Games to be held in Congo Brazzaville next month at the expense of African football giants Cameroon and guided the Warriors to a 2-1 victory over the Flames of Malawi in the 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier.

Pasuwa is owed nearly $10 000 in salaries and allowances for the past 10 months he has been in charge of the national team.