WARRIORS coach Kalisto Pasuwa is set to consider his future with the national team amid reports suggesting that Tanzanian football club, Simba SC have made a daring offer to prise away to the East African country.
BY HENRY MHARA
Media reports from Tanzania suggest that negotiations between the parties have taken place and Pasuwa, who travelled to Namibia for the Cosafa tournament yesterday, is seriously considering the offer.
The reports say Simba officials were in the country at the weekend, where they watched Pasuwa guiding the Warriors to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualification following a 3-0 drubbing of Malawi at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
The team, led by the club chairman, Zacharia Hans Poppe and executive members, Said Tully and Collins Frisch, held negotiations with Pasuwa later on Sunday night, where an offer was tabled, it is also claimed.
Other reports also suggest that former Warriors midfielder, Justice Majabvi, who plays for the Tanzanian side, has been key to the negotiations and has been tasked to sweet-talk the former Dynamos coach.
Poppe confirmed the meeting with Pasuwa to the Tanzanian Press.
“Pasuwa is interested, but he said there are a few things he needs to sort out with Zimbabwe,” Poppe was quoted as saying.
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“Negotiations are still ongoing. He liked our offer and the environment we will provide which he agrees with. But all will be clear after he sorts his issues with the Zimbabwe football federation,” he said.
Asked about the reports yesterday, Pasuwa said: “I have heard that there were people who came here from Tanzania, but we haven’t discussed it with my manager. There are Zimbabwean players based in Tanzania, who told me about it. I will have to talk to my manager when I come back from Namibia.”
Poppe is also quoted saying his club is negotiating with Highlanders striker, Knox Mutizwa for a move to Tanzania.
Mutizwa is expected to join South African Premiership side Wits next month, but Poppe is convinced they can persuade the striker to change his mind.
Information gathered shows that Pasuwa leads Simba’s wishlist, which also includes two Serbians, Milovan Cirkovic and Goran Kopunovic.
Simba parted ways with head coach Dylan Kerr at the end of the season after finishing the season third behind runners-up Azam and champions Young Africans.
The club won their only league title in 2011 and they have identified Pasuwa as the man who can lead them to glory once again.
Pasuwa has won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title four times and he further enhanced his CV at the weekend when he qualified the national team to the Afcon finals for the first time in 10 years.
He would be looking to further enhance his growing reputation as one of Africa’s best coaches when he takes a shot at the Cosafa Cup, which begins at the weekend.
The Warriors, who are in Group A, get the tournament underway with a clash against Swaziland at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek on Saturday afternoon.
Warriors Cosafa squad
Goalkeepers: T Mukuruva, B Donovan, N Chadya
Defenders: H Zvirekwi, B Moyo, B Kangwa, R Pfumbidzai, L Mhlanga, T Hadebe, E Muroiwa.
Midfielders: M Mudehwe, D Phiri, N Masuku, F Madhanaga, R Manuvire, K Nadolo, T Chawapiwa, T Kutinyu.
Strikers: O Tarumbwa, C Mashumba.
