Brazilian Valinhos unveiled as new Zimbabwe coach

Brazilian Valinhos unveiled as new Zimbabwe coach

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By Nkanyiso Moyo

THE Zimbabwe FA (ZIFA) on Wednesday named a relatively unknown Brazilian as coach of the country’s senior national team, just over six months since Charles Mhlauri was sacked.

Jose Georgini Georgini Valinhos, 60, will lead the country’s latest crack at a World Cup finals qualification.

The coach arrived in Harare on Tuesday and met Joseph Msika, the country’s Acting President, Sports Minister Aeneas Chigwedere, and officials from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), who are paying his salary in scarce foreign currency.

Msika presented him with a Warriors shirt.

Valinhos played for just 10 years as a professional, and was born in Rio de Janeiro on August 15, 1947.

His former clubs include Bonsucesso FC, Vasco da Gama, Olaria AC, Goias EC, AA Portuguesa, Volta Redonda FC and Serrano FC.

Valinhos’ coaching career began in 1980 with the Under 16 team of top Brazilian club, Flamengo, followed by stints at Al Wasl in the United Arab Emirates, the Vasco da Gama Under-20 team, back to the UAE with Al Ahli Football Club before other low profile jobs in Saudi Arabia.

He coached Tawen SC, and then Nova Cidade on his return to Brazil. He also coached in Kuwait, and became head coach of the Brazil Under 20 team in 2001, although he lost the job shortly afterwards.

ZIFA chairman Wellington Nyatanga said plans were already underway to send the coach to the African Cup Nations finals in Ghana next week to keep tabs on Guinea and Namibia – both in Zimbabwe’s group for the 2010 World Cup.

“He is expected to watch Guinea and Namibia in Ghana, and we are saying the preparations for the qualifiers have already started,” Nyatanga said Wednesday.

“He is widely travelled man, who has all the Zimbabwean talent from England and South Africa to Belgium, Poland and Cyprus to choose from and we hope all our targets will be met.

“The coach will get all the necessary support and we expect the same from the media if we are to reach a common goal of qualifying for both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations in 2010,” he said.

Perennial underachievers Zimbabwe are chasing qualification for their maiden appearance at the Fifa World Cup finals and a third appearance at the African Nations Cup.

The Warriors have not had a substantive coach following the dismissal of Mhlauri after the team bombed out of the forthcoming continental showpiece in Ghana.

They are pooled in Group 2 of the 2010 qualifiers together with Guinea, Namibia and Kenya.
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