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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE’s mega football stars will be undertaking different activities during the two-week international break that begins this week.

Ideally, they would be joining their compatriots in the Warriors fold partaking in international friendly matches or other competitions.

But, the country is still reeling from the ban imposed by FIFA in February and it’s a pity players like the red-hot Jordan Zemura, who picked the man-of-the-match accolade when his English Premier League team AFC Bournemouth held Newcastle 1-1 at St James Park last weekend, will be out of action.

Zemura was born in England to Zimbabwean parents and despite an offer for him to represent the European country, he chose to play for the Warriors.

And he is one those pained the most with the ban currently imposed on the country by the world football governing body, FIFA.

The only other player from this country who plies his trade in the English Premier League, Marvelous Nakamba is already back in the country where he will be putting together personal issues while most of his Aston Villa teammates would be leading their national teams in the next two weeks.

The FIFA ban, prompted by the Sport and Recreation Commission’s suspension of the ZIFA board led by Felton Kamambo in November last year, has drawn mixed feelings but the former are working round the clock to ensure a smooth readmission into international football with an interim ZIFA board driving the cause.

There is no national team in place, though, and should the ban be lifted, who can be the best candidate for the position of coaching or managing the Warriors?

Norman Mapeza was the last man to lead the Warriors on an interim basis when he took charge of the team at the African Cup of Nations finals staged in Cameroon early this year.

He was being assisted by former Highlanders coach Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu together with Harare City gaffer Taurai Mangwiro.

But Mapeza proved he is not the right man for that job after failing to progress from a group that Malawi, whose market value for the entire squad of 23 players was half of Tino Kadewere alone, found a way to qualify for the last 16.

His lack of game management saw the Warriors losing to eventual champions Senegal when conceding a last-gasp penalty in a game Zimbabwe would have easily won.

His expensive experiments backfired when starting Kundai Benyu, who had spent the whole three days of preparation resting in his room, and former captain Knowledge Musona, who like Benyu, had never trained in the match against Malawi. The Warriors were expected to win that match to give themselves a chance of progressing to the last 16 and they were even the first to hit the target through Ishmael Wadi.

Of course, Zimbabwe found a way to beat Guinea in their dead-rubber tie with the Western Africans already having qualified for the last-16 and the Warriors, playing without any pressure whatsoever, picked up the three points.

Although Mapeza remains one of the best coaches in the local front, his international credentials are never good enough.

He has won the league title with FC Platinum twice and is on his way to winning the third crown but he always finds the going tough in the CAF Champions League where his charges punch way below their weight.

Mistry Chipere of the Foreign Legion says the likes of Norman Mapeza lacks the needed modern day coaching trends and it’s now time for others to be given a chance.

“We are tired of recycling (the same old) local coaches. I think it’s now time for others like Germany-based former Dynamos striker Max Makanza and South Africa-based ex-DeMbare defender Kaitano Tembo. We are lacking the much-needed modern-day tactics. You look at us and see our coaches calculating the whole 90 minutes using their heads. Where are the match analysts?” said Chipere.

“I think we need to pick up players who are playing in the leagues with proper professional set-ups. It’s time for us to look outside and stop recycling coaches. Even Charles Mhlauri can be given a chance because he is open to advice. Look at the likes of George Mbwando. They need a chance, maybe as an assistant coach.”

The Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association chairman, Chama Mushamaenza, also believes Zimbabwe should for now be coached by a foreign gaffer who cannot be manipulated by local agents.

“I believe we have very good local coaches but they show a lot of favouritism when selecting players. You find players are not picked on merit.

“You will find players who are managed by one agent flooding the national team and it is the country which always suffers at the end of the day.

“So for me, as long as we have that mindset, I think we should always look for a foreign coach,” said Mushamaenza.

“A foreign coach is not easy to manipulate, especially when they have the proper credentials. You look at how (the late German coach) Reinhard Fabisch managed to bring together the best talent we had during his time in the early 1990s.

“There was no favouritism, players were selected on merit and football was so exciting. So for me, as long as we have this mindset where players are selected on the basis on which team they play for and depending on who manages them, then we are not going anywhere.”

Chicken Inn coach Joey “Mafero” Antipas argues otherwise.

“I believe we have several capable coaches in the local league who can drive the Warriors. You look at such coaches as Lloyd Chitembwe, Tonderai Ndiraya and Norman Mapeza. They can drive the team to the dreamland with proper support,” said Antipas.

“They have proved they are good enough and they will definitely make a mark if they are given the support they need.” In 2019, Antipas was briefly given the nod to coach the Warriors with the highlight of his short-stint being beating Zambia 2-1 at the National Heroes Stadium in a 2021 AFCON qualifier.

Asked if he feels he can coach the Warriors, Antipas said he cannot beat his own drum.

“I have coached the team before and I enjoyed it. I cannot throw my name in this but what I can only say is there are capable coaches in the local fraternity.”

Warriors cheerleader Chris “Romario” Musekiwa, who was reduced to tears after Zimbabwe’s shock defeat to Malawi in Cameroon, said Mapeza should be given another bite at the cherry.

But his passionate call and emphasis was on the authorities to do the right thing and let Zimbabwe be readmitted into international football.

“I would like to appeal to the authorities to keep on pushing for us to be readmitted into international football. It’s so painful to see some of our best players like Zemura who is mesmerising in England sitting on the sidelines while his AFC Bournemouth teammates are back representing their countries,” he said.

“We were set to qualify for Chan and AFCON with the human resources we have at our disposal right now and I believe there is still a chance for us to be readmitted. And when it comes to the issue of the coach I think we should also consider Mapeza for his potential.

“We also have Joey Antipas and Tonderai Ndiraya as good candidates for the job.”

Friends of Warriors secretary-general Zivanai Muwashu said Mapeza has a lot of weaknesses but he ought to be given a chance, as do several local coaches.

“We should go local. We should take a cue from such countries like Senegal and Cameroon who are doing well with home-grown talent. We have good coaches in the local scene who can take us places,” he said.

“If we are going to take foreign coaches, then they should be people with proven track records or else we will end up recruiting comedians like Zdravko Logarusic.”