The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
THE recent appointment of Croatian Zdravko Logarušic as new Warriors coach has left the football fraternity in Zimbabwe with some unanswered questions regarding the credibility of the gaffer to take the national senior men’s team to the Promised Land.
Logarušic will be assisted by Joey Antipas and Lloyd Chitembwe while Tonderai Ndiraya also makes the bench as U23 coach.
Goalkeepers’ coach is former Zimbabwe Saints keeper Pernell McKop.
The 54-year-old Croat, who has coached on the continent in the last 11 years, was an outsider in the race for the big job.
Although the Croat took Sudan to the semi-finals of the last CHAN finals, he was kicked out of his job last year after losing to South Africa.
He has never handled a team at either the Nations Cup or the World Cup finals.
Mutare-based newly accredited player agent Donald Manhende said: “The best man for the job is Norman Mapeza or someone else who has experience with African soccer, Zimbabwean football in particular.
“Zifa must value the progress of this beautiful game not to just fulfil their needs or protecting their own interests. Surely, how can someone hire a coach whose name he cannot correctly pronounce? If one cannot pronounce the name, then what do they know about the credentials of the coach?”
Young Benjamin Chindima, a football administrator whose level-headedness has earned him respect and admiration among football followers in Mutare, said: “I do not know much about this new coach. It seems like he has never won anything but I should say I am excited that he has been appointed. Hopefully, his personality and professionalism can steer us to success and it is a chance for him to kick-start his success story with Zimbabwe. Obviously, we cannot hire the best coach in the world, so I think we should give him the support he needs.”
Staunch Dynamos and Manchester United fan Bongai Dube said: “I really wonder what these Zifa guys saw in the person that they appointed as Warriors coach. I would not want to be a pessimist and criticise him before he starts his work, but I genuinely hope that the marriage will end well. We surely do not want a repeat of the case in which we were banned from the World Cup qualifiers simply because we have failed to pay a foreign coach.”
Tongogara Refugee Camp-based football administrator Trust Dube said: “It is a fact that most of us do not know where this guy came from. We really hope that those that appointed him know what value he will add to the national team. All we want is our national team to be our source of pride and joy.”
Dynamos Supporters’ Association executive member Collen Mbato said: “Before we can even talk of the coach’s credibility, is Zifa financially stable to hire a foreign coach? The general administration of soccer in the country especially women soccer (national team) persuades me to think otherwise. It is about resources here.”
