Antipas appointment- a huge u-turn by ZIFA

The appointment of Chicken Inn coach Joey ‘Mafero’ Antipas as Warriors coach yesterday came as suprise to some while others felt it was the right choice but regardless of either, ZIFA’s back-paddling was exposed in the process.

The national football governing body announced via a statement yesterday that the former Motor Action coach will take  charge of the senior men’s national soccer team, assisted by newly apointed Harare City coach Lloyd Chitembwe and Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya.

Two years ago though, ZIFA tried to bar Antipas from sitting on the Chicken Inn bench after returning from South Africa where he was coaching Amazulu in National First Division, citing that he does not have a CAF A coaching license.

ZIFA spokesperson Xolisan Gwesela even re-emphasized the issue early this year.

“The new executive committee is very serious about club licensing. It is taking club licensing a notch higher. In the last executive committee meeting, it was resolved that coaching standards in PSL should not be down-graded by allowing non-holders of Caf A qualifications to coach in the PSL. Hence, as an enforcement of club licensing standards and ultimately development of our game, all coaches in the PSL and their assistants should be in possession of Caf A licence. The executive felt that it was imperative to respect coaches’ education. The technical director, Wilson Mutekede, is currently in Egypt for a technical development workshop and the workshop will deal with the curriculum for Caf coaching licence, which is our expectation that Caf coaching courses will resume soon,” Gwesela said in January.

Strangely, the ZIFA board has appointed Antipas, whom they deemed not qualified enough to coach a PSL team, to the possition of the biggest and most prestigious coaching job in Zimbabwean football.

Copyright © Soccer24, 2024. All Rights Reserved
NEWS MATCHCENTRE TABLES VIDEOS