ZIFA Close To Appointing Substantive Warriors Coach

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) is reportedly close to appointing a substantive head coach for the senior national team.

The Warriors have been without a permanent manager since 27 April, when Marian “Mario” Marinica abruptly resigned.

Kaitano Tembo was subsequently appointed on an interim basis, with the former Zimbabwe defender taking charge of the Unity Cup tournament in the United Kingdom at the end of May.

ZIFA are understood to be finalising appointments for all national teams, including the Mighty Warriors, Young Warriors, Young Mighty Warriors and the Schools Under-15 sides that have been competing in the CAF Schools competitions.

While confirming that the search for national team coaches had intensified, ZIFA General Secretary Yvonne Manwa declined to provide further details, saying she could not pre-empt deliberations that are at an advanced stage.

“All I can say at the moment is that we are seized with the matter (of looking for a national coach) and we will advise the nation when all due processes are completed,” Manwa said.

ZIFA are understood to have considered a host of foreign coaches for the Warriors job, including Belgian Tom Saintfiet, Serbian Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic, Spaniard Ramon Catala, Frenchman Hervé Renard, German Torsten Spittler, Portuguese Luis Goncalves, Egyptian Mohamed Fathi and interim coach Kaitano Tembo.

Saintfiet had a brief and abortive stint as Warriors coach in October 2010 that lasted just days before he was deported for working without a permit.

The Belgian had signed a four-year deal with ZIFA in September 2010, but administrative bungling saw him removed from the country for flouting immigration regulations.

Sredojevic has managed Uganda, Zambia and Libya, and has also coached Sudanese giants Al Hilal and reigning South African Premiership champions Orlando Pirates.

Spittler, who was in charge of Rwanda last year, has also served as technical director at the Mozambique Football Federation.

More: The Herald