‘The best coach in the world can’t save the Warriors’
LEGENDARY former Zimbabwe Saints and national team defence rock Ephraim Chawanda says it was a foregone conclusion that the Warriors would fail at the continental football jamboree underway in Gabon.
Nicknamed “The Rock of Gibraltar” during his illustrious playing career, Chawanda said even if Zimbabwe was to hire the best coach in the world, he too will fail like his predecessors until the prevailing set up and environment changes.
Zimbabwe was knocked out of the Total African Nations Cup finals at the group stage without a win following a draw against Algeria and losses to Senegal and Tunisia.
Coach Callisto Pasuwa resigned moments before boarding a plane back home despite earlier telling a post match press conference that he hoped to be given more time with the Warriors.
“I said it months back, winning is in the preparations. Remember they provide a platform for even fair and just selection of players. We need to look at our whole football set-up holistically, for now, as per norm, Pasuwa is the casualty and this can only appease the mourning. Even if we bring the best coach in the world to take over, he will fail in the prevailing set-up or environment,” said Chawanda who captained the famous “Dream Team” under the late German national Reinhard Fabisch.
He said those tasked with leading our football must also take a serious introspection to see if they did everything required of their positions to lay a firm road to the finals.
“That fact should be said, for example, why was the player list to Caf submitted before player contracts were made. It would have given us a fair chance in the competition. We complain of selection and player commitment, if you would interview the coach or the players themselves, they will point at the administration. This is what is supposed to be minimised in the preparations,” said the 1988 league championship winning skipper with Zimbabwe Saints who also won the Soccer Star of the Year in that year.
The Warriors revolted on the day of their send-off ceremony when the then Acting President Emmerson Mnangagwa was set to be the guest of honour.
The Botswana-based Chawanda ruled himself out of the running to replace Pasuwa as the new Warriors coach.
“To be rational, I cannot be the head coach as my CV is not that expansive but being in the technical team would be ideal, for the reasons that there are basic things which are ignored which are detrimental to the progress of the team,” he said.