Zimbabwe closes in on new Warriors coach

The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has intensified its search for a substantive Warriors head coach, with the football governing body reportedly nearing a decision on the man who will lead the senior national team on a long-term basis.

The Warriors have been without a permanent coach since April 27, when Romanian coach Marian "Mario" Marinica resigned after just five months in charge, citing personal reasons.

Marinica had taken over from German coach Michael Nees.

Former Zimbabwe international Kaitano Tembo has since been serving as interim coach and was in charge of the Warriors during the Unity Cup tournament in the United Kingdom at the end of May.

Tembo had previously served as one of Nees' assistants alongside CAPS United coach Takesure Chiragwi.

However, ZIFA is now understood to be close to finalising appointments across its national teams, including the Mighty Warriors, Young Warriors, Young Mighty Warriors and the Under-15 Schools teams that participate in CAF Schools competitions.

ZIFA secretary-general Yvonne Manwa confirmed that the association had intensified its search but declined to provide details, saying the process was at an advanced stage.

"All I can say at the moment is that we are seized with the matter (of looking for a national coach) and we will advise the nation when all due processes are completed," Manwa said.

Unlike previous appointments, ZIFA has reportedly opted against inviting applications and instead embarked on a head-hunting exercise guided by its long-term objectives for Zimbabwean football.

One of the major targets is qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup in Morocco, Portugal and Spain under the association's Dream2030 strategy.

ZIFA is also understood to have consulted FIFA technical experts during the process, including former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who serves as FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development.

Wenger's department is involved in global football development, coaching education, youth academies and broader strategies for the development of both men's and women's football.

Several coaches with experience in African and international football are understood to have been considered.

Among them are Belgian Tom Saintfiet, Serbian Milutin "Micho" Sredojevic, Spaniard Ramon Catala, Frenchman Herve Renard, German Torsten Spittler, Portuguese Luis Goncalves, Egyptian Mohamed Fathi and interim coach Tembo.

Saintfiet has a previous connection with Zimbabwe, although his first stint as Warriors coach ended after only days in October 2010.

He had signed a four-year contract with ZIFA in September 2010 but was deported after immigration authorities determined that he had been working without the required permit.

The Belgian, who was in charge of Mali between 2024 and April 2026, is nevertheless understood to be among the coaches whose African experience has attracted ZIFA's interest.

Sredojevic is another experienced figure on the shortlist. The Serbian has coached several African national teams, including Uganda, Zambia and Libya, and has also managed Sudanese giants Al Hilal and South African football heavyweights Orlando Pirates.

Spittler, meanwhile, previously coached Rwanda and also served as technical director of the Mozambique Football Federation.

The shortlist also offers a range of coaching backgrounds beyond the German influence that has characterised the Warriors in recent years.

Catala has extensive international experience across Europe, Asia and the Middle East and has worked in youth development and technical roles, including with Dynamo Kyiv's academy and the Libyan national setup.

Fathi, a former Highlanders coach, enjoyed a successful spell with Zambian club NAPSA Stars, guiding the side to the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

Goncalves, a former Angola and Mozambique coach, is renowned for player development and has extensive experience working with young talent, including at Sporting Lisbon.

ZIFA's efforts to secure Renard, a two-time Africa Cup of Nations-winning coach, appear to have ended after the Frenchman was appointed head coach of Côte d'Ivoire, returning to the team he guided to the 2015 continental title.

The association is reportedly looking beyond the immediate challenge of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with the next Warriors coach expected to be appointed with a much longer-term mandate.

"Although qualifying for the AFCON 2027 is essential, ZIFA also wants some continuity and would want a coach who can also build structures and systems that can make the Warriors competitive enough to fight for a spot at the 2030 World Cup," a ZIFA source said.

"So, the objective is not about appointing a coach for an event, but one whose vision also tallies with the association's long and short-term objectives."

The appointment will therefore form a key component of ZIFA's broader Dream2030 project, which is expected to encompass regional and continental competitions, player development and structural reforms aimed at building a more competitive national team.

With the Warriors' next major competitive assignments approaching, pressure will now be on ZIFA to conclude the process and provide the national team with the stability it has lacked since Marinica's departure.