FC Plats willing to share Mapeza
FC PLATINUM have given their coach ach Norman Mapeza the green light to take charge of the Warriors’ opening 2019 Nations Cup qualifier againstainst Liberia at the National Sports Stadium next month nth after Zifa came knocking asking for the gaffer to guide the senior national football team in that big g game on a caretaker basis.
The Herald exclusively revealed yesterday day that Zifa had settled on Mapeza to kick-start the he Warriors’ 2019 Afcon campaign against the very country that he faced — exactly seven years ago — in the he first game of the national team’s 2012 Nations Cupup adventure when the former Galatasaray midfielderder was first handed the responsibility to lead his country. untry.
The sticking point, though, was whetherher Mapeza’s employers in Zvishavane would once again release their man to coach the Warriors, the teamam he guided in a friendly international against Zambiambia recently, but FC Platinum yesterday said the coachach would be allowed to serve his country once again.
Zifa, who parted ways with Callisto o Pasuwa at the end of February, say they will only y appoint a substantive coach after the match againstinst Liberia which comes nine months before thehe Warriors plunge into their second Afcon qualifierlifi er against Congo in Brazzaville in March next year. r.
FC Platinum announced yesterday theyey will release Mapeza to take charge of the Warriors’ Nations Cup qualifier against Liberia.
“Zifa have not communicated with us officially and once they do we will respond accordingly. dingly. It is a national call up and there is no way we will say no,’’ club spokesperson Chido Chizondo toldd The Herald.
“We play our football in Zimbabwe e and not in Algeria or Guniea and as long we are here we can’t say no to Zifa. The national team comes s first and, as FC Platinum, we are always ready to chiphip in for the good of our country.’’
Mapeza has chosen to overlook the money that he is owed by Zifa, for services rendered to the Warriors when the Association was led by Cuthbert bert Dube, to serve his nation once again.
FC Platinum have on a number of occasions casions come to the rescue of Zifa, in the past, when it comes to the national teams.
They once sponsored a trip for the Young ung Warriors after a bankrupt Zifa failed to raise the he funds for the Under-17 side to commitment.co t e t.
Zifa have defended the use of a coach, who is tied to a local club, saying that DRC – who are also in the same Afcon group as Zimbabwe – have thrived under such an arrangement with AS Vita gaffer, Florent Ibenge, doubling up as his national team coach. fulfil their international