The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
FORMER Warriors coach Charles Mhlauri has thrown his weight behind the current team and believes they have what it takes to emulate the class of 2004 and 2006 and qualify for Africa’s premier football tournament.
Coach Kallisto Pasuwa’s men are three points clear of Guinea and Swaziland in group L and have a chance to qualify for the Gabon 2017 finals with a game to play, should they beat Malawi at home on June 5 and Guinea are defeated or draw in Swaziland that same weekend.
Now the man who led the Warriors to their second ever Afcon finals in Egypt in 2006, two years after Sunday Chidzambwa broke the jinx at Tunisia 2004, has backed the Willard Katsande-captained ensemble to emulate those heroics.
Mhlauri, who is now based in the United States as technical director at Lightning Soccer Club, said he had every confidence in Pasuwa and urged the nation to rally behind the men’s senior soccer team for a successful hunt.
“Pasuwa is a qualified and experienced coach, I am confident he will do the best. I just wish him to succeed,” Mhlauri told this publication from his base in the US.
“It is always great to qualify for Afcon as this will put our country on the map and help grow our game, not to mention the smiles it will bring to all Zimbabweans. We are a football country and we deserve to be counted amongst the best.
“Remember football is not a matter of life and death it is much more important than that,” said Mhlauri, who many will also remember for his double league winning Caps United.
Mhlauri also called on Zimbabweans to rally behind the Zifa board led by Phillip Chiyangwa in its quest to turn around the fortunes of local football.
“This is a new board, they deserve support from all stakeholders so they can better invest in player development and strategic planning for long term success,” said the former Caps United and Amazulu coach.
Mhlauri, one of the most qualified Zimbabwean football coaches, is responsible for coaching, player recruitment, assignments and club development at Lightning Soccer Club.
He also oversees creating an environment conducive for players’ development and the playing philosophy.
“It is a position that has really challenged me … I have to make sure we are keeping up with modern Fifa trends in the game which are always changing by the way, and as I am writing, I am leaving in two weeks for Europe to meet up with other Uefa A and Pro Licensed coaches on a program of development,” said Mhlauri.
