Sports / Soccer
Life after Pasuwa
05 Feb 2017 at 07:07hrs | Views
CHANCES are history will fail to acknowledge Kallisto Pasuwa as the Warriors coach who somehow managed to work twice as much for half as much without much fuss.
When the outgoing Warriors coach's 20-month reign in the biggest coaching job Zimbabwean football has to offer is reviewed, Pasuwa will likely be labelled a failure.
A 25,92 percent success rate at major tournaments is not exactly the stuff of legends.
The analysts of coming generations (God bless them) will wonder how – with stars like Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona and Marvellous Nakamba to mention just three – Pasuwa failed to make an impression at Afcon 2017.
They will speculate why the 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year Petroes Mhari failed to make the Afcon squad. They will seek to understand why Silas Songani was deemed excess to national requirements despite enjoying a fine spell in Denmark.
They will go into their archives and read about how Tendai Ndoro's mother refused to eat as anger over Pasuwa's decision to continually start with Nyasha Mushekwi ahead of her inform son boiled over.
For Pasuwa, based solely on results, the positives are painfully outweighed by the negatives.
But the 46-year-old gaffer has to be credited for an amazing spirit, one that saw him continue putting his shoulder to the wheel despite going unpaid for months.
The image of Pasuwa and his blanket as the Warriors headed to Malawi by bus to kick-start their Afcon 2017 qualification campaign in June 2016 is iconic.
In its thousand words, that picture epitomises how much the former Dynamos coach loved his job and gave it his all, never mind his technical deficiencies.
His decision to turn down a jaw dropping offer from Tanzania to concentrate on the Warriors' Afcon 2017 campaign was more than ample evidence of his dedication.
Hours before Zimbabwe played Malawi in the opening Afcon qualifier in Blantyre, Pasuwa revealed to The Sunday Mail Sport why he was prepared to keep slogging on despite a toxic operating environment.
"There is nowhere in the world where you will find the perfect environment, one thing I was taught at a young age is to make do with what is there. Being the national team coach is a dream come true and I have to make the best of this opportunity," Pasuwa said.
But patriotism doesn't win you matches and Pasuwa is paying the price for failing to step up to the plate at major tournaments.
Now as his lanky figure slowly slouches from the scene, Zifa start the process of hunting for a new coach.
However, with perennially empty coffers and a history of making shockingly absurd decisions, that exercise may deliver more pain relief for the Warriors' long-suffering fans.
Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa says he will announce "the way forward" after going through the Afcon head of delegation's report and the High Perfomance Committee's recommendations.
"I am accountable to congress so before I say anything I am under the football guidelines compelled to read these reports, make a few phone calls and then announce the way forward," he said.
As usual, there is massive appetite for a foreign coach with some members of the HPC asking how a gaffer "as good as Bosso coach Erol Akbay" ended up on these shores.
"There is a feeling that we can get someone from The Netherlands or Sweden without breaking the bank. All that is needed is some networking," said a member of the HPC.Akbay's deal involved football agent Denford Mutashu.
Norman Mapeza's name has been thrown around, but the FC Platinum coach is unlikely to leave a job that pays handsomely – and on time – for one where the salary comes after much pleading and threatening.
Besides, Mapeza will feel he owes Pure Platinum Play a league title.
Bantu Rovers owner Methembe Ndlovu comes highly recommended while Sunday "Mhofu" Chidzambwa will be a popular choice and easy on the pocket.
Other names being mentioned are reigning Coach of the Year Lloyd Chitembwe, Joey Antipas who is earning his keep at AmaZulu in South Africa, as well as former Warriors coaches Rahman Gumbo and Madinda Ndlovu.
Let's get ready for life after Pasuwa.
When the outgoing Warriors coach's 20-month reign in the biggest coaching job Zimbabwean football has to offer is reviewed, Pasuwa will likely be labelled a failure.
A 25,92 percent success rate at major tournaments is not exactly the stuff of legends.
The analysts of coming generations (God bless them) will wonder how – with stars like Khama Billiat, Knowledge Musona and Marvellous Nakamba to mention just three – Pasuwa failed to make an impression at Afcon 2017.
They will speculate why the 2016 Goalkeeper of the Year Petroes Mhari failed to make the Afcon squad. They will seek to understand why Silas Songani was deemed excess to national requirements despite enjoying a fine spell in Denmark.
They will go into their archives and read about how Tendai Ndoro's mother refused to eat as anger over Pasuwa's decision to continually start with Nyasha Mushekwi ahead of her inform son boiled over.
For Pasuwa, based solely on results, the positives are painfully outweighed by the negatives.
But the 46-year-old gaffer has to be credited for an amazing spirit, one that saw him continue putting his shoulder to the wheel despite going unpaid for months.
The image of Pasuwa and his blanket as the Warriors headed to Malawi by bus to kick-start their Afcon 2017 qualification campaign in June 2016 is iconic.
In its thousand words, that picture epitomises how much the former Dynamos coach loved his job and gave it his all, never mind his technical deficiencies.
His decision to turn down a jaw dropping offer from Tanzania to concentrate on the Warriors' Afcon 2017 campaign was more than ample evidence of his dedication.
Hours before Zimbabwe played Malawi in the opening Afcon qualifier in Blantyre, Pasuwa revealed to The Sunday Mail Sport why he was prepared to keep slogging on despite a toxic operating environment.
"There is nowhere in the world where you will find the perfect environment, one thing I was taught at a young age is to make do with what is there. Being the national team coach is a dream come true and I have to make the best of this opportunity," Pasuwa said.
But patriotism doesn't win you matches and Pasuwa is paying the price for failing to step up to the plate at major tournaments.
Now as his lanky figure slowly slouches from the scene, Zifa start the process of hunting for a new coach.
However, with perennially empty coffers and a history of making shockingly absurd decisions, that exercise may deliver more pain relief for the Warriors' long-suffering fans.
Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa says he will announce "the way forward" after going through the Afcon head of delegation's report and the High Perfomance Committee's recommendations.
"I am accountable to congress so before I say anything I am under the football guidelines compelled to read these reports, make a few phone calls and then announce the way forward," he said.
As usual, there is massive appetite for a foreign coach with some members of the HPC asking how a gaffer "as good as Bosso coach Erol Akbay" ended up on these shores.
"There is a feeling that we can get someone from The Netherlands or Sweden without breaking the bank. All that is needed is some networking," said a member of the HPC.Akbay's deal involved football agent Denford Mutashu.
Norman Mapeza's name has been thrown around, but the FC Platinum coach is unlikely to leave a job that pays handsomely – and on time – for one where the salary comes after much pleading and threatening.
Besides, Mapeza will feel he owes Pure Platinum Play a league title.
Bantu Rovers owner Methembe Ndlovu comes highly recommended while Sunday "Mhofu" Chidzambwa will be a popular choice and easy on the pocket.
Other names being mentioned are reigning Coach of the Year Lloyd Chitembwe, Joey Antipas who is earning his keep at AmaZulu in South Africa, as well as former Warriors coaches Rahman Gumbo and Madinda Ndlovu.
Let's get ready for life after Pasuwa.
Source - sundaymail
