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Grobbelaar confident of Warriors swansong
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Bruce Grobbelaar, the legendary Zimbabwean goalkeeper famously known as ‘The Jungleman', remains hopeful for one last opportunity to coach the country's senior men's national football team, the Warriors. Grobbelaar, who has made several pleas to the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) in recent years for the coveted coaching position, expressed confidence that he would get one final chance to lead the team.
In an interview with The Telegraph last week, the 67-year-old former Liverpool star opened up about his ambitions and optimism. "I'm quietly confident I will have one little dance with them again. They are in the Africa Cup of Nations [being staged in Morocco in December]. I'm planning to be there as a spectator. But there could be a little surprise. Who knows?" Grobbelaar said, hinting at the possibility of a surprise return to the dugout.
The iconic goalkeeper has a history with the national team, having briefly served as a player-manager for Zimbabwe in 1997 and 1998. He has since remained an outspoken advocate for the chance to coach his home nation once more. Despite the arrival of foreign managers, Grobbelaar remains passionate about the opportunity to take the reins, as he believes no one else can better understand the needs of the Warriors than someone who has deep ties to the country.
"I was the best person to take charge of the Warriors right now because this is my country, and everything I do comes from the bottom of my heart, and the desire to take my country forward. These foreign coaches are in it for money! After two years, they walk away with cash, and never bother to revise their work," he said, expressing his frustration after Michael Nees was appointed as the new head coach ahead of him last year.
Grobbelaar's desire to manage the Warriors was shared with ZIFA National Chairman Lincoln Mutasa and Minister Kirsty Coventry, with Grobbelaar hoping for a change in direction to appoint local coaches rather than foreign ones. Despite his passionate pleas, Michael Nees seems to have made an impact, having led the Warriors to qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals. The Warriors have been drawn in a challenging Group B alongside Egypt, South Africa, and Angola for the tournament in Morocco.
Although Nees' success is evident, Grobbelaar's desire to make his mark on the Warriors remains unwavering. He expressed his belief that the time for change would come, and that his deep understanding of Zimbabwean football could be the key to success for the national team.
Grobbelaar's football journey began in Zimbabwe, before he moved to South Africa, the United States, and eventually England. After a brief stint at Crewe, he joined Liverpool in 1981, where he achieved legendary status. Throughout his 13-year career at Anfield, Grobbelaar won multiple league titles, cups, and the prestigious European Cup in 1984. He became famous not only for his shot-stopping ability but also for his unique approach to mind games during penalty shootouts, most notably in the 1984 European Cup final against Roma, where his theatrics helped Liverpool secure the title.
Reflecting on his early use of psychological tactics, Grobbelaar shared a memorable anecdote from his playing days in Zimbabwe. "I played a game in Zimbabwe immediately after I came out of the army from the bush war. There was a penalty and I remembered that someone in the crowd had chucked this mask onto the pitch, which I'd put behind the goal. So I picked it up and put it on. It was the mask of an old man and when I turned around the striker was terrified and he missed," he recalled with a smile. "If that had happened today, I'd get sent off for ungentlemanly conduct. But the ref didn't do anything and we won the game. So in that (1984) final I knew I had to do something to get into their mind."
As the Warriors continue their journey towards AFCON 2025, Grobbelaar's passion for the national team and belief in his future role with the squad remains strong. Whether he will return to the dugout or not is still uncertain, but his legacy as one of Zimbabwe's greatest footballing figures is indisputable. As Grobbelaar himself puts it: "Who knows? There could be a surprise."
In an interview with The Telegraph last week, the 67-year-old former Liverpool star opened up about his ambitions and optimism. "I'm quietly confident I will have one little dance with them again. They are in the Africa Cup of Nations [being staged in Morocco in December]. I'm planning to be there as a spectator. But there could be a little surprise. Who knows?" Grobbelaar said, hinting at the possibility of a surprise return to the dugout.
The iconic goalkeeper has a history with the national team, having briefly served as a player-manager for Zimbabwe in 1997 and 1998. He has since remained an outspoken advocate for the chance to coach his home nation once more. Despite the arrival of foreign managers, Grobbelaar remains passionate about the opportunity to take the reins, as he believes no one else can better understand the needs of the Warriors than someone who has deep ties to the country.
"I was the best person to take charge of the Warriors right now because this is my country, and everything I do comes from the bottom of my heart, and the desire to take my country forward. These foreign coaches are in it for money! After two years, they walk away with cash, and never bother to revise their work," he said, expressing his frustration after Michael Nees was appointed as the new head coach ahead of him last year.
Although Nees' success is evident, Grobbelaar's desire to make his mark on the Warriors remains unwavering. He expressed his belief that the time for change would come, and that his deep understanding of Zimbabwean football could be the key to success for the national team.
Grobbelaar's football journey began in Zimbabwe, before he moved to South Africa, the United States, and eventually England. After a brief stint at Crewe, he joined Liverpool in 1981, where he achieved legendary status. Throughout his 13-year career at Anfield, Grobbelaar won multiple league titles, cups, and the prestigious European Cup in 1984. He became famous not only for his shot-stopping ability but also for his unique approach to mind games during penalty shootouts, most notably in the 1984 European Cup final against Roma, where his theatrics helped Liverpool secure the title.
Reflecting on his early use of psychological tactics, Grobbelaar shared a memorable anecdote from his playing days in Zimbabwe. "I played a game in Zimbabwe immediately after I came out of the army from the bush war. There was a penalty and I remembered that someone in the crowd had chucked this mask onto the pitch, which I'd put behind the goal. So I picked it up and put it on. It was the mask of an old man and when I turned around the striker was terrified and he missed," he recalled with a smile. "If that had happened today, I'd get sent off for ungentlemanly conduct. But the ref didn't do anything and we won the game. So in that (1984) final I knew I had to do something to get into their mind."
As the Warriors continue their journey towards AFCON 2025, Grobbelaar's passion for the national team and belief in his future role with the squad remains strong. Whether he will return to the dugout or not is still uncertain, but his legacy as one of Zimbabwe's greatest footballing figures is indisputable. As Grobbelaar himself puts it: "Who knows? There could be a surprise."
Source - the standard
