Former Zimbabwe coach Fabisch dies

Former Zimbabwe coach Fabisch dies

GENTLE GIANT: Fabisch took charge of Benin at the African Cup of Nations finals in Ghana early this year

SAD: Fabisch coached Zimbabwe between 1992 and 1995

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FORMER Zimbabwe national soccer team coach Reinhard Fabisch has died at the age of 57.

He had been ill for sometime, the German Football Federation announced on Monday.

Fabisch, easily the most celebrated coach of Zimbabwe's national side, was in charge of the Warriors between 1992 and 1995.

His 'Dream Team' galvanised the patriotic fervour of a nation -- although success eluded him.

His team included Zimbabwe greats like Bruce Grobbelaar, Peter Ndlovu, Ephraim Chawanda, Francis Shonhayi, Benjamin Nkonjera, Adam Ndlovu, Rahman Gumbo, John Phiri, Paul Gundani, Agent Sawu, Alexander Maseko and Henry McKop.

Muzondiwa Mugadza, a former national team goalkeeper who came into contact with Fabisch while playing for the Under 23 side remembered a "gentle giant".

Mugadza, who now lives in Coventry, England, said: "He mobilised a whole nation to support the Dream Team. His biggest contribution to Zimbabwean football was getting fans to go to football stadiums.

"His death is a loss to football in general, and specifically to African football because that's where he had dedicated his life."

Fabisch coached Benin at this year's CAF Africa Cup of Nations, but failed to get 'The Squirrels' past the first round as they went down to three defeats.

He stood down in April because of his illness.

Fabisch, who played for Borussia Dortmund from 1969-71, had originally got the post because of his extensive experience in coaching African countries having handled Zimbabwe (1992-95) and Kenya (1987, 1997 and 2001-02).

He caused an uproar at the Africa Cup of Nations when he claimed that he had been approached by an Asian betting syndicate to fix the result of his team's opening African Nations Cup game against Mali which they lost 1-0.
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