Zifa spark Renard speculation
NAAZ hail Nash, Naph for job well done
NATIONAL Athletics Association of Zimbabwe director of coaching, talent identification and development Lisimati Phakamile has urged coaches to engage up-andcoming athletes to ensure talent is not lost after they leave school.
This comes after Zimbabwe successfully defended their title at the just-ended Confederation of School Sport Associations of Southern Africa Championships (Cossasa) in Harare.
The hosts got 95 medals, including 40 gold, to finish tops in the regional meet that also featured Botswana, Namibia and Malawi. In second place were Namibia with 75 medals, followed by Botswana with 69.
Malawi were bottom of the medals table with just one gold. Phakamile said Nash and Naph continue to play an important role in identifying and developing talent at school level.
“I want to first of all congratulate the team, the boys and girls, it was an outstanding performance. They put in more than 100 percent effort.
“Also not forgetting the coaches who worked tirelessly day and night preparing the athletes that was good work by team Zimbabwe. As an association we are grateful to both these associations, Nash and Naph, because that’s where we identify athletes, that’s where our athletes get exposure, competition and the zeal to compete.
“Now the baton is in the hands of coaches in Zimbabwe to all scramble to pick up this talent we have seen at the National Sports Stadium. We had athletes coming from all 10 provinces (to make up team Zimbabwe). And as NAAZ ZIFA have sparked speculation they could try and engage Herve Renard to become the next substantive War r ior s’ coach after the Frenchman was caught having a long chat with the Association president Philip Chiyangwa in Bahrain this week. Renard, who is we have coaches in all those provinces.
“As an association we are urging coaches to look at these athletes. Coaches you have seen what Cossasa has done as you know you are trained, you are qualified pick up these athletes and continue to develop them,” said Phakamile.
The regional competition targets Under-13s, Under-15s who competed for the first time and Under-17s.
Nash head in charge of athletics, Philip Chikomwe, said the results are an indication of improvement on their state of preparedness for the event.
“The final tally of the results indicates how prepared we were and we outclassed Botswana and Namibia. They could not compete with us on the last day.
“I would like to say we are improving in our level of preparedness. We expected Botswana to give us a tough time but they failed to meet our standard in the track where they are very good.” currently in charge of Morocco, guided Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire to success in the Nations Cup in 2012 and 2015.
He was seen chatting and exchanging numbers with Chiyangwa in a hotel in Manama, Bahrain.
The Zifa boss chose not to plunge into the speculation.
The Warriors are currently without a substantive coach after Zifa parted ways with Callisto Pasuwa at the end of February this year.
Zimbabwe will get their 2019 Afcon campaign underway next month under the guidance of caretaker coach Norman Mapeza.
It has emerged Zifa have renewed interest in trying to secure Colchester forward Macaulay Bonne, who has expressed willingness to play for the Warriors, to come and represent his country.
Zifa have also tasked a contact in England to pursue a meeting with Burnley defender Tendayi Darikwa’s parents.
They are also seeking to engage Yasser Chapfika, who is based in Spain, among a host of players in Europe.
Warriors’ caretaker team manager Wellington Mpandare said they were looking for good players to feature for the team.
“I am working with the coaches and they have asked me to monitor and secure contacts for all these players. You know our coaches are committed elsewhere and might not be able to monitor how each and every player is doing at their club, who is injured and not and so forth.
“We also want to take advantage of the fact that it will be off-season when the match is played. Right now I am talking to Bonne, he has expressed his willingness to play for the Warriors.
“He scored last week for Colchester and his season has ended. Our contact will be meeting Darikwa’s parents. Remember some of these players have never been here or left the country when they were still very young, so there is need for support from their parents.
“But we are doing all that we can to give every Zimbabwean player based outside the country a chance to be called into the national team and the coach will select his final squad,” said Mpandare.