New Zifa rules freeze old guard out

Raymond Jaravaza

THE old guard in the coaching fraternity could find themselves frozen out of local football if Zifa presses ahead with its demands that only qualified personnel will be allowed to coach in the Premier Soccer League.

Zifa wants coaches with CAF A badges to coach PSL teams. 

Coaches such as Joey Antipas and Moses Chunga have in the past been allowed to coach in the PSL even without the requisite qualifications by virtue of having previously won championships with Motor Action in 2010 and Gunners FC in 2009 respectively.

Joey Antipas

Both coaches don’t have CAF A badges. In Zifa language, being allowed to coach without the right qualifications is called a waiver. 

This time around Zifa is not entertaining waivers. Every coach must have the right qualifications, to shout instructions from the touchline. 

Antipas and Chunga will be frozen out of football if Zifa sticks to its guns. 

The 2023 Castle Lager Premiership is only two months away and it’s not looking good for Chunga, Antipas et al.

“It’s not a Gift Banda thing. We are simply implementing a resolution that was made by the Zifa congress in 2017 that only qualified coaches will be allowed to sit on PSL technical benches,” acting Zifa president Gift Banda is on recording saying. 

Gift Banda

But an association that represents the interests of coaches in the country – the Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association (Zisca) – has threatened to go to court. 

“It’s like the Vehicle Inspection Department saying all drivers on the roads should have a driver’s licence, when they have failed to test them (drivers) for the past five years,” argues Bhekimpilo Nyoni, Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association (Zisca) chairperson.

“Zisca resolved to take the issue of coaches’ accreditation seriously. If we fail to get any joy, we need to take the issue to the Labour Court,” said Nyoni.

He added: “Zisca is saying ZIFA has failed to provide CAF courses for five years, so we are asking that the Premier Soccer League head coach be a CAF ‘A’ holder, while all his assistants can have CAF ‘B’ or CAF ‘C’.

“We are saying there are so many people who have done CAF ‘B’ and CAF ‘C’ but, for the past five years, nothing has been provided in terms of CAF courses, so you can’t be asking for something which you cannot provide yourself.”

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