The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda and Mukudzei Chingwere
WARRIORS coach Zdravko Logarusic says he used the common denominator to choose his provisional squad for the 2020 African Nations Championships.
The Croat, recently appointed by ZIFA to take charge of the national team will lead the local ensemble of the Warriors to the finals in Cameroon next month.
He had hoped that by the time he announces his squad he would have seen a few local Premiership games but was unable to do that since the league is still on an off-season break.
Loga, as he is commonly called, said he reached out to local coaches including former national coach Joey Antipas on who the best players were and extended invite for his first squad to the players with the highest numbers of endorsements.
“I was depending on the coaches I spoke to, former national team coaches and current national team coaches, I spoke with about seven coaches, and each coach gave me a list of 24 players, each coach separately.
“Then I put together a list of 20 players, the players who were most applicable from the list by coaches, and few of them I took by myself.
“Each coach would choose two players for the same position separately and then each coach submitted, so the most common names for each position was chosen.
“If all coaches are saying one player is good he should be good this is what I did,” said Logarusic.
The gaffer said he does not have a problem with predecessor Antipas but confirmed that he will not be part of his backroom staff.
“What I understand is his club could not afford having away for a long-time with the national team, so he will not be part of the team but that is for the association to say more, but I do not have a problem with him at all.
“In football I believe as coaches we need to share ideas like what I did for the squad.”
“The squad is ready and letters to the clubs have been sent so expect it on Monday.
It has, however, emerged that Loga might face a crisis of assistants amid revelations that he only held a brief meeting with Harare City’s Lloyd Chitembwe which did not yield much last week.
The manner in which Loga has been conducting business since his appointment seems to have raised some dust.
Although he undertook a tour of the PSL clubs to meet with the top-flight coach, it is the absence of both his assistants Antipas and Chitembwe, which sparked some controversy as the Croat has reportedly placed his trust in technical director Wilson Mutekede.
“The coach submitted his list and we are now contacting the clubs, it’s an ongoing process but the squad should be announced next week (this week),” ZIFA communications manager, Xolisani Gwesela, said yesterday.
Mutekede, who stands accused of capturing the new Warriors coach, was not reachable for a comment but there are also concerns that Loga may have rushed into being enmeshed in domestic football’s toxic politics.
“This is a recipe for disaster, you can’t have a coach who goes around on a tour of PSL clubs without any input from his assistants.
“You will also have noticed how the TD (Technical Director) has become so much involved in the whole process.
“It’s like he (Mutekede) is running the Warriors business right now but my fear is this will not end well. It is not good for our football. I do not know how Loga’s other assistants Chitembwe and Ndiraya will take it but as human beings I am sure they would feel they also need to be consulted on some of these things,” said the source.
It means Logarusic will likely be without a first assistant when Zimbabwe take on Algeria in back to back 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the end of this month.
The Warriors could also be without a team manager for the assignments as ZIFA are yet to name the man for the job with the secretariat having to handle that task.
Wellington Mpandare, Sharif Mussa and Chicken Inn midfielder Clement Matawu are the front runners for the position for which Loga is also expected to have a strong input in deciding.
“It’s on hold for a bit. The processes of calling up teams has already begun, meaning we may do without a manager for the upcoming games,” ZIFA sources said.
