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Zifa dangles carrot for Warriors coach

Soccer
ZIFA is planning to dangle a carrot to the new Warriors coach with reports suggesting there are plans to design a payment system which will see the coach being paid a percentage of the qualification bonus in addition to his monthly salary.

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

ZIFA is planning to dangle a carrot to the new Warriors coach with reports suggesting there are plans to design a payment system which will see the coach being paid a percentage of the qualification bonus in addition to his monthly salary.

The idea, according to informed sources, is seen as an innovative way of attracting the best coach who would deliver the desired goals for the team while at the same time helping the cash strapped association to negotiate a reasonable monthly salary.

With Zifa angling to appoint an expatriate coach in January next year, the plan to pay a percentage of the qualification bonus is likely to motivate and attract high-profile coaches.

“There are plans to find innovative ways that will help the association to meet the coach’s salary and other expenses and to pay the coach a certain percentage of the qualification bonus is one of the ways the association is looking at. For instance if the qualification bonus for the 2021 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Cameroon is US$400 000 and the coach gets 15 % of it after qualifying the team in addition to a monthly salary, it will be a huge pay cheque,” the source said.

The local soccer controlling body has been overwhelmed already by the number of applications after it advertised the Warriors coaching job last week.

Serbian coach Milutin Sredojevic, also known as Micho, is one of the high-profile coaches who has applied for the job which falls vacant on December 31, when interim coach Joey Antipas’ contract expires.

Micho, who has coached several teams in Africa, presided over the Uganda national soccer team for four years in which he guided them to the 2017 Afcon finals for the first time since 1978.

Six months after the Afcon finals, he joined Orlando Pirates, but quit the club in a huff for a job at Zamalek where he was recently fired.

The 50-year-old Serbian coach also took charge of Rwanda between 2011 and 2013.

Experienced former Macedonia gaffer Janevski Cedomir, who has also coached in Europe, has registered his interest after submitting his credentials to Zifa for consideration.

Portuguese national Vaz Pinto also forwarded his CV in the hope of landing the top Warriors job. The Portuguese coached in Angola and Ethiopia, taking charge of Recreativo Libobo of Angola, who booted out Zimbabwean Caf Confederation Cup representative Ngezi Platinum in 2017.

Also in the race is Belgian Jean Francois Losciuto, who has taken charge of lowly Black Leopards of South Africa.

Dutch coach Erol Akbay, who has presided over Bulawayo giants Highlanders and Ngezi Platinum, he parted ways with recently is another contestant after submitting his CV for consideration.

Antipas, who delivered the African Nations Championships (Chan) finals ticket, a Fifa 2022 World Cup groups stages qualifying slot as well as four points from a possible six in the 2021Afcon Group H qualifiers with a 2-1 victory over neighbours Zambia, which has one of the highlights of his tenure, has also applied among several others.

Zifa are hoping to have appointed the Warriors coach before the end of January next year.

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