RAHMAN Gumbo has been named as the substantive Zimbabwe national football team coach.
ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube made the announcement on Friday, putting an end to suspended Norman Mapeza’s hopes of returning to the Warriors set up.
“He is now the substantive coach, we need continuity and we cannot continue to have him on an interim basis,” told ZBC radio.
“All we want is for the Warriors to qualify for the Nations Cup. We want the players to be focused and we’re doing everything we can to ensure there are no distractions.”
Zimbabwe lead Angola 3-1 from the first leg of their final 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. They travel to Luanda for the return leg on the weekend of 12-14 October.
Mapeza was suspended on allegations of match fixing. An independent committee led by a retired judge is looking into the allegations with its verdict expected before the year is out.
Mapeza said in July he was claiming $400,000 from ZIFA for breach of contract after he was sidelined in favour of the former FC Platinum coach, who initially took on the job on a temporary basis.
Dube also apologised to the nation for the Zimbabwe Under 20 team’s failure to fulfil an African Youth Championship assignment in Angola recently due to financial challenges bedevilling the football mother
body.
“First of all I’d like to apologise for the Under 20’s failure to travel to Angola for an international match. I was not around, but I can authoritatively say that the Warriors will go to Angola without hindrance,” Dube said.