Nation warms up to Valionhos

Nation warms up to Valionhos

SMOOTH OPERATOR: Jose Valinhos' appointment not well-received

• Draw sets Warriors as Group Three favourites

• Woeful Warriors draw with Namibia

• Malajila gives Zimbabwe victory in Botswana

• Matola own goal hands South Africa victory

• Highlanders refuse to release players for national team

• Ndlovu, Nyandoro out of South Africa clash

• Ndlovu gets Warriors recall

• Valinhos spells end of Ndlovu's international career

• Brazilian Valinhos is new Zimbabwe coach

By Nkanyiso Moyo

JOSE Valinhos has received a huge thumbs-up from players and former national team coaches following Zimbabwe’s 0-0 draw against Guinea in a World Cup qualifier in Conakry on Sunday.

Highlanders legend and former Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo said Zimbabwe’s destiny now lay in the hands of Valinhos’ men who prevented Zimbabwe from losing against a team that they have lost to twice with identical 3-0 scores in the last two decades.

Gumbo said: “Our destiny is now in our hands. It has never been easy playing in West Africa and this is an exceptionally good result for the new coach.

“We have a chance to pick up maximum points from all our home games including beating Guinea and that will out us top of the group.

“The players must have the confidence now, they must bond together like a family for the next four weeks. That way, they will go with confidence to the next round of the qualifiers.”

He lavished praise on the coach for picking two uncapped players for the starting line-up -- Takesure Chinyama and Joseph Ngwenya.

Gumbo added: “You can see the direction that the team is taking, that is good. He has thrown the youngsters into the deep end and if they can give you a decent hour or so away from home, then you have a fantastic chance to achieve something special. They can only improve when they play before the home fans.”

The Warriors will lock horns with Namibia on Sunday and that will be followed by back-to-back clashes with Kenya. Win the lot and Zimbabwe will be guaranteed a place in the 2010 African Cup of Nations finals in Angola, anmd passage to the next round of the World Cup qualifying process.

Two players, who missed Sunday’s match -- goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini and midfielder Honour Gombami – also paid tribute to the team.

“That was a good result and I just wish we can carry on from there and win the next two home matches and we will qualify,” said Gombami.

Added Kapini: “The team played exceptionally well. We have a good chance to top[ this group.”

Former national coach Gibson Homela, now a technical director of his beloved Zimbabwe Saints, said Valinhos needed everyone’s support.

“There were doubts when he first arrived, but I thought I saw good signs when he managed to beat Namibia away in the Africa Nations Championships,” Homela said.

“He must be given the chance to be his own man and build his own side. How many coaches can play players that they have only read about or seen on TV?”

2010 World Cup/African Cup of Nations Qualifiers:
Group Three Results:

Namibia 2-1 Kenya; Guinea 0-0 Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s Remaining Fixtures:

6-8 June-Zimbabwe vs Namibia

16-18 June-Kenya vs Zimbabwe

22-26 June-Zimbabwe vs Kenya

6-8 September-Namibia vs Zimbabwe

17-19 October Zimbabwe vs Guinea

South Africa qualify as hosts. The 12 group winners and the eight best runners-up will contest the next stage in the qualification process.

Group Three Log:

	Team	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1	Namibia	1	1	0	0	2	1	3
2	Guinea	1	0	1	0	0	0	1
3	Zimbabwe	1	0	1	0	0	0	1
4	Kenya	1	0	0	1	1	2	0

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