By Goodwill Zunidza
Veteran former England manager Sam Allardyce tops a list of candidates vying for the crucial vacancy that has arisen at Zifa following Michael Nees sacking as Warriors’ coach late Wednesday.
The Bolton Wanderers legend was strongly tipped to land the post according to information gleaned by New Ziana but other prominent names are in contention.
Allardyce,who is 71, is presently out of a job since leaving Leeds United in 2023.
An insider at Zifa intimated that Bruce Grobbelaar and Peter Ndlovu were also being considered for what he called ‘a role in the technical department’ without specifying the exact designation.
“We first had to seek greenlight from Fifa as they pay for the coach’s salary and allowances,” he intimated on condition of anonymity hinting that the story was premature.
He suggested all three could work together.
“Big Sam is head of the team. Bruce’s time will come but it begins now working with both Allardyce as his boss and Peter Ndlovu as team manager.”
Grobbelaar briefly coached the Warriors soon after retiring in 1997, victorious in both his games in charge, and held talks with Zifa in Harare last year.
On the other hand, Ndlovu is stationed at Mamelodi Sundowns, long-serving as its team manager, but speculation over his future rose after he recently completed the CAF ‘A’ Coaching Course in Tanzania, licencing him to coach outrightly, even at national team level.
It is not known yet how soon the appointments will be and when they might take effect but they are timed for the African Cup of Nations finals where the Warriors will take part in Morocco from December to January.
The envisaged set-up appears to sideline Kaitano Tembo, who remains the only man standing after Nees was relieved of his duties and Takesure Chiragwi withdrew as the first assistant coach in the aftermath of a disciplinary case at his Ngezi Platinum Stars club side.
New Ziana understands Tembo will assume command of the team but in a caretaker capacity for the team’s friendly internationals against Qatar and Algeria during the next Fifa break in November.
Interestingly, the mother body made suggestions of this complex move in their carefully worded statement announcing Nees’ departure.
“Further information regarding the transition process and interim technical arrangements will be communicated in due course,” read the statement by Zifa.
While Tembo retains credible credentials to become the substantive Warriors coach the Zifa Technical and Development Committee headed by Tafadzwa Benza is reportedly still deliberating on the possibility.
The same source explained the circumstances of the former Warriors’ vice-captain’s status.
“Contrary to what Nees informed the media that it was him who tapped Kaitano to assist him it was actually the association that imposed Kaitano on him.
“Kaitano was being earmarked as Nees’ successor because the technical committee had already recommended his sacking after the Benin and Rwanda defeats resulting in Kaitano being brought in for the games against South Africa and Lesotho.
“But it transpired that our diaspora sub-committee fronted by Marshall Gore reignited their push for Grobbelaar this time spicing it up with Allardyce’s prestige.”
He reckoned that Tembo, who has coached Supersport United in South Africa, would remain a part of any substantive technical department for Afcon.
“Kaitano for now is going nowhere but the onus remains on him to impress in the two friendlies that have fallen most opportunistically in his way,” he quipped.
The revelation of Allardyce’s availability induces excitement and hope of a first knock out progression by the Warriors at their sixth Afcon appearance.
A former player and later coach of Bolton Wanderers which featured Nigerian international Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, Allardyce is a world-respected mentor who also enjoyed spells as manager at Everton from 2017 to 2018, West Bromwich Albion from 2020 to 2021, and Leeds United in May 2023.
The pinnacle of his coaching career came when he guided England in 2016.
This would be his first assignment in African football but his solid experience, coupled with local expertise, could transform Warriors
New Ziana
