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ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa’s announcement this week that they have found a sponsor to fund the costs of hiring a substantive coach for the Warriors was a massive step in the right direction for this body tasked with running the country’s national sporting discipline. For months now, the fans have been waiting for such a feel-good story because of concerns that the old set-up, where ZIFA relied on caretaker coaches for such a big job, was not sustainable in the long term and was not the best possible way of taking care of an important national institution like the country’s senior national football team.

ZIFA first turned to FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza to take charge of the Warriors’ opening 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia in Harare in June this year which our boys won in comprehensive fashion with a 3-0 victory.

The national football leadership then turned to Sunday Chidzambwa to guide the Warriors at the 2017 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup in South Africa which our boys, again won in style as they thrashed Zambia 3-1 in the final to become the record winners of the tournament.

Chidzambwa was then rewarded for that success story in South Africa by being appointed coach of the Warriors who took part in the 2018 African Championships of Nations qualifiers which our boys sadly lost on penalties to Namibia.

With the Warriors not taking part in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, after being expelled by FIFA without kicking a ball as punishment for Zifa’s failure to pay the $60 000 that was owed to Brazilian coach Valinhos, the quest to qualify for the 2019 Afcon finals in Cameroon is the main mission now.

After 11 years away from the biggest football festival on the continent, the Warriors finally ended that lengthy wait by booking a place at the 2017 Nations Cup finals in Gabon where they even had the bragging rights of being the only Southern African nation at that showcase.

But we have always believed the Warriors should not be a team that finds satisfaction in just qualifying for the Afcon finals, but one that goes to that showcase on a regular basis, not just as a team making up the numbers, but one with a chance to even go all the way and win the trophy.

After all, our biggest rivals Zambia and South Africa have already won this tournament in the past and we believe we have the quality of players who can also follow suit and become champions of Africa.

Midfielder Marvellous Nakamba is making huge waves in Belgium and recently he even attracted the attention of English giants Liverpool who are looking at the possibility of securing his services during the January transfer window.

There are also a number of players around Europe, like Kundai Benyu, whose quality saw him being signed by Scottish champions Celtic, who have already announced they will commit their international future to the Warriors.

We believe there is a golden generation of Warriors right now who can punch their way to greatness in tournaments like the Afcon finals.

However, what is badly needed is for those players to have a good guiding hand, someone who is doing this job full-time and knows that this assignment is all that matters to him.

With all due respect, Mapeza — who is a very fine coach — has too much on his plate because he is in charge of an FC Platinum team that wants him to concentrate on the job of ensuring they win the league championship for the first time in their history to justify the huge investment that has been pumped into the club.

If FC Platinum win the league championship this year, a race they lead going into the weekend, it means that Mapeza will have extra challenges at his employer given that he will also have the CAF Champions League to deal with next season.

Chidzambwa is also a very good coach, as demonstrated by his success in becoming the first man to guide the Warriors to the Nations Cup finals, but he is burdened by the other challenges of having to guide ZPC Kariba, who are his employers.

What the Warriors need right now and urgently, is a coach who is only there for them and that is why we feel that Zifa’s announcement that they have found a partner to ensure that the costs of hiring such a person is a move in the right direction.

What we need now is for the urgent appointment of that coach so that, if possible, he can take charge of the two matches against Lesotho and Namibia next month where he can assess some of the players who will be in action during the AFCON qualifiers which resume in March next year.

Given the two matches come during the window set aside by FIFA for international matches, it means we can bring in any foreign-based player that we want and that is why believe the appointment of a substantive coach right now is an urgent matter and very important.

The ball is in Zifa’s court and the sooner they deliver on that front the better for the Warriors.