Zifa descend on unqualified coaches
ACTION resumes in the exciting Eastern Region Division One 2017 season after a two-week midseason break, amid revelations that the league administration will now be strict on coaches’ qualifications.
IN DISAPPROVING coaches without qualif ications, it appears the ZIFA Eastern Region is now taking lessons from the country’s top-flight league.
At the beginning of the football season this year, the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League barred coaches without the required qualifications resulting in Shabanie Mine FC losing their preferred candidate - Taku Shariwa - for the club’s coaching post.
Head coaches sitting on the technical bench in a Division One League in the country are supposed to be holders of a CAF B coaching licence.
Assistant coaches should have Level Two or Four while medics are required to have sports medicine or Red Cross First Aid qualifications.
Team managers are supposed to possess at least a Level One coaching course.
ZIFA Eastern Region secretary, Simba Wisdom, confirmed that they would not allow coaches without the requisite qualifications to sit on the technical bench.
Wisdom said for the remainder of this season they would be a bit lenient and only demand at least a Level Two qualification for head coaches.
“We will not allow coaches without the required coaching qualifications to sit on technical benches during our league matches starting from the resumption of the 2017 season this coming weekend.
“We are doing this for the development of the game. We want to keep abreast with international standards.
“However, we will be a bit lenient on head coaches for the remainder of the 2017 season and demand that they have at least Level Two coaching qualification.
“This is something that we agreed upon and a binding resolution was made at the recent AGM held in Masvingo.
“We do not expect anyone to be found wanting because this is something that we have been telling clubs to adhere to for a long time,” said Wisdom.
Meanwhile, Eastern Region Division One 2017 season resumes after a two-week mid- season break, with Mutare City Rovers taking on Melfort FC at Sakubva Stadium tomorrow (Saturday).