A coach every 6 months for Warriors

By Lawrence Moyo

Following Ian “Dibango” Gorowa’s appointment as Warriors coach this week, Zifa are now competing with former South African Premiership side, Chippa United, for the world record of hiring coaches in the shortest possible period.

The current Zifa board got into office in March 2010 and their World Cup campaign was Brazil 2014, which ended in the first round of qualifying — the team is yet to win with just one home match against Mozambique remaining.

In the three years they have been in office, Zifa have made a record SEVEN appointments to the national soccer team’s technical department.
Norman Mapeza was the first of these appointments when he assumed office in May 2010.

At the height of Zifa board divisions, Belgian Tom Saintfiet replaced Mapeza in September. Mapeza was deemed unqualified to be the national team coach according to a new criteria endorsed by the majority in the board.

Saintfiet ran into work permit problems as he had, embarrassingly, been asked to start work while the Department of Immigration was still processing his papers. This led to his deportation.

Madinda Ndlovu then came in and guided the Warriors until after the 2011 CHAN matches with Mapeza making a return as Warriors coach in March 2011. Mapeza ran into fresh problems with the board and was kicked out for the second time., even though he remains tied to his contract with Zifa.

Rahman Gumbo then made a sensational return to the Warriors in February 2012 but he could not last the distance and was replaced by Klaus Dieter Pagels in November of the same year.

Pagels could not even complete a year in office and he has paved way for Gorowa. So in 41 months, Zifa have appointed a new Warriors technical department every six months on average and all in just one World Cup campaign.

It is a record. 

While soccer clubs are assessed per season, national teams tend to be rated per World Cup campaign — thus a season for a club is four years for the national team.

That is the same number of appointments made by Cape-based Chippa United in the Absa Premiership last season before they lost out in the play-offs and were relegated.

South Africa uses the August — May season and Chippa United marked their entry into the Premiership with the appointment of Manqoba Mngqithi who was in office between 9 July and 20 August 2012.

Julius Dube came in and lasted less than a month as his reign was between 23 August and 12 September. Then came Roger Sikhakhane who went beyond one month, taking charge between 13 September and 28 October last year.

Farouk Abrahams came in as an interim coach between 28 October and 13 December. He had a decent record that resulted in his appointment on a full-time basis. He however, could only be in the job until 29 January this year.

Wilfred Mugeyi then took over the hot seat. He completed two full months in a stint that started on 29 January and ended on 11 April. Englishman Mark Harrison took over on 12 April as the SEVENTH appointment but could not keep Chippa United in the Absa Premiership.

But while clubs are more interested in instant results, which is why players are sourced from all over the world, national teams are more about stability and long-term plans.

All the world successful football nations have a good record in terms of stability in national team technical departments. This includes those dominant forces on the continent.

Below is how other respected and popular footballing giants have fared as far as coaching appointments are concerned.

AFRICA 

NIGERIA — The African champions are under the guidance of Steve Keshi, who was appointed in 2011. Seven coaching appointments for the Super Eagles will take us back to 2007 when Berti Vogts got the job. That’s seven appointments in SIX years — Two World Cup campaigns.

SOUTH AFRICA — Bafana Bafana are currently under the guidance of Gordon Igesund while SEVEN appointments will take us to the era of Ted Dumitru in 2005. This amounts to seven appointments in eight years — Two World Cup campaigns.

MOZAMBIQUE — Our neighbours are under the guidance of Joao Chissano who came in this year but SEVEN appointments take us way back to 1999 when Eurofilm da Graca was given the job. That’s seven appointments in 14 years — Four World Cup campaigns.

MALAWI — Former Warriors coach Tom Saintfiet is currently the caretaker coach for the Flames whose latest SEVEN appointments began with Michael Hennign in 2005. Four of these appointments were on a caretaker basis. Just like Bafana Bafana, the record is seven coaches in eight years or two World Cup campaigns.

GHANA — James Kwesi Appiah came in last year and he was the Black Stars’ seventh appointment since 2003 when Ralf Zumdick took charge —thus seven appointments in 10 years or four World Cup campaigns.

Cote d’lvoire — Sabri Lamoudu became the Ivorians’ latest coach last year and was their seventh since 2006 when Uli Stielike took charge — seven appointments in seven years (two World Cup campaigns).

ZAMBIA — Our northern neighbours are under the guidance of Herve Renard who has been in charge — for the second time-since 2011. He had been in charge between 2008 and 2010. Seven Zambia appointments take us back to Ronald Poulsen in 2002 — Seven appointments in 11 years (three World Cup campaigns).

EGYPT — Former USA coach Bob Bradley has been in charge since 2011 and seven most recent Pharaohs appointments take us back to Mahmoud El Gohary in 1997 – seven appointments in 16 years (four World Cup campaigns).

WORLD FAMOUS TEAMS

BRAZIL — Luiz Felipe Scolari came in as the Samba Boys coach this year and seven recent appointments by the former world champions takes us back to 1998 when Vanderlei Luxemburgo was given the job. There have been seven appointments in 15 years (four campaigns).

SPAIN — Vincente del Bousque has been in charge of the world champions since 2008 and seven recent appointments lead us to Luis Suarez in 1988. That’s seven appointments in 25 years (seven World Cup campaigns).

ENGLAND — Roy Hodgson is in charge of the underachievers whose seven recent appointments started with Terry Venables in 1994. That’s seven appointments in the last 19 years (five World Cup campaigns).

GERMANY — Joachim Low has been in charge since 2006 while their recent seven appointments takes us back to 1984 when Franz Beckenbaure was given the reigns. This amounts to seven appointments in an incredible 29 years (eight World Cup campaigns).

FRANCE — Didier Deschamps is the current coach after his appointment last year and their seven recent changes date back to 1992 when Gerard Houlier became the coach. Thus seven changes in 21 years (six World Cup campaigns). H Metro