The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) might find it difficult to hire a foreign coach to lead the senior men’s national soccer team due to it’s ‘lack of funds’, paving way for the high probability of Joey Antipas landing the post.

A total of 14 aspirants have applied to the country’s football governing body for the Warriors head coach job, which has been vacant since veteran coach Sunday ‘Mhofu’ Chidzambwa resigned after the 2019 African Cup of Nations finals in Egypt.

Antipas, who was handed the post on an interim basis until December last year, is the only local coach to have applied for the job and judging by the words of ZIFA Technical and Development Committee chairman Bryton Malandule, he might land it.

“Resources permitting, we want that coach who can add extra value to the quality that we already have in the calibre of our players. But we will obviously be guided by our finances,” Malandule told The Herald. 

“As you know, foreign coaches don’t come cheap. Their salaries are usually pegged high up there and we should be able to meet his wage bill.

“But remember we are in Zimbabwe where football does not enjoy sound financial backing locally. Of course, we get FIFA grants as an association, but there is no portion to pay coaches,” he added.