BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
FORMER Young Warriors and senior national team midfielder Methembe Ndlovu could bounce back into the Warriors technical team set-up as one of the assistant coaches if the recommendations by the Zifa technical development committee are endorsed.
The technical committee met last weekend to decide who takes over the Warriors on an interim basis while they look for a substantive gaffer to take charge in the 2022 World Cup and 2021 African Cup of Nations campaign.
NewsDay Sport understands that the committee recommended Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas to lead the team, with former Highlanders and Zimbabwe Under-23 midfielder Ndlovu as one of his assistants.
Current Zimbabwe Under-23 coach Tonderai Ndiraya was also reportedly recommended as one of Antipas’ assistants.
Warriors interim coach Rahman Gumbo, who presided over the 2020 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier against Mauritius, who they overpowered 7-1 on aggregate to proceed to the final qualifying round, was not recommended, according to informed sources.
However, it is Ndlovu, director at Bantu Rovers FC and former Zifa board member, who is set to bring considerable experience to the technical team if he gets the job, having played in the United States, where he featured for Cape Code Crusaders and Boston Bulldogs, among others.
He also managed Cape Code Crusaders, where he was assistant coach.
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He also took charge of his former team Highlanders between 2006 and 2007.
He was appointed Warriors assistant coach in 2006.
The Zifa executive committee is expected to meet to deliberate on the recommendations after which a decision will be reached.
The new technical team will be expected to lead the team in the Chan final qualifying round against the Crocodiles of Lesotho in September.
Zimbabwe are seeking to make it to the finals in Cameroon, having missed the 2018 edition after they were knocked out by Namibia.
One of the regulars at the tournament, having qualified for every edition, except in 2018, their best finish was when they reached the semi-finals under the guidance of Ian Gorowa in 2014.
But before the Warriors can think of Cameroon, they have to first clear the hurdle posed by Lesotho after the Crocodiles shocked South Africa by eliminating them in the first round — their first win against their more illustrious opponents in a competitive match.
Zifa, who are seeking a sustentative coach for the Warriors, hope to have hired one before the start of the 2022 World Cup and 2020 African Cup of Nations campaigns.
Zimbabwe were drawn in the same group with reigning champions Algeria, neighbours Zambia and Botswana in the African Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
For the World Cup campaign, they were paired against lowly Somalia in the preliminary round.
