FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza is the front runner for the Warriors coaching job that fell vacant after Zdravko Logarusic was sacked by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) on Sunday.
ZIFA has shortlisted four local coaches, with the former Monotopa coach leading the race to reunite with the Warriors once more.
The list also includes former Warriors gaffers Charles Mhlauri in second place and Calisto Pasuwa in third, while Triangle coach Taurai Mangwiro made the list as the fourth candidate.
Mapeza had a stint with the Warriors as head coach. Despite being owed part of his money when he left the team, he said he was open to a return to coaching Warriors but should not be viewed as a mercenary for demanding what the association owes him.
“ZIFA has decided to go with the public call of appointing a local coach, and these four have been identified as the country’s most qualified coaches, and the lot can fall on any one of them depending on how the negotiations come out,” a source told EnterSportNews.
“Mapeza is the association’s number one choice. The good thing is they settled his outstanding package, so that shouldn’t be a sticking point at all. Secondly, the fact that he or any other coach will be starting off with the Africa Cup of Nations finals in their bag should be enough motivation for the coaches.”
It is felt within the ZIFA hierarchy that Mapeza can fully utilise the talents of what many view as a golden generation of Zimbabwe Warriors with players like captain Knowledge Musona in the twilight of his career, Khama Billiat, Tinotenda Kadewere, Marvellous Nakamba, Marshall Munetsi and Tendai Darikwa among others.
Logarusic was fired following a string of poor results that saw him winning just one game out of 14.
