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Wilson Mutekede

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
SUSPENDED high level Caf coaching programmes will resume in March this year with Zifa optimistic that local coaches will enrol for the clinics.

All Caf courses – A, B and C were suspended last year after the continental body’s symposium  recommended that there be an improvement to the curriculum.

The resumption of courses will come as a relief for most Caf B licence holders whose dreams of sitting on Premiership benches went up in smoke following standardisation of coaches in line with the Fifa/Caf Club Licensing, which stated that only holders of Caf A badges can lead topflight sides.

A number of local coaches who include former national team assistant coach Mkhuphali Masuku, Try Ncube of Bulawayo City, Bantu Rovers’ Agent Sawu and Shabanie Mine’s Taku Shariwa could not bark instructions from the touchline last season in the PSL as they were deemed under qualified.

Newly promoted Bulawayo Chiefs are in a dilemma as their coach Thulani Sibanda does not have a Caf A badge and are forced to look for a gaffer who will lead the side while Sibanda waits to enrol for a Caf A class.

Zifa technical director Wilson Mutekede said they are sticking to the minimum qualifications required for coaches in order to improve local football.

He revealed that Caf informed them on Thursday that the courses will resume in March.

“We understand the frustrations that Caf B licence holders are going through but note that it wasn’t Zifa who suspended the courses but Caf. That was done to improve the curriculum and the good news is that Caf has informed us that the programmes will resume in the first quarter and we’re hoping to start enrolling coaches for these programmes in March,” said Mutekede.

At the beginning of last season Zifa announced that PSL head coaches and their assistants should be in possession of CAF A Licences to sit on the bench as part of the Association’s drive to improve the technical appreciation and quality of the game in line with the global standards.

Zifa has also sent an official communiqué to all topflight and lower division clubs directing them to implement the new requirements.

Under the new Zifa requirement, Caf B holders can only be in charge of Division One Soccer League Clubs with Caf C or Level Three and Four certified coaches set to lead Division Two, Three, Four and tertiary leagues.

Level Two coaching certificates holders can only be in charge of junior league, secondary and primary schools teams.

All national teams’ coaches should be holders of Caf A badges.

Meanwhile, Zifa have directed coaches to wear badges during their 2018 season games, saying gaffers without the badges which are sold by the association will not sit on the bench.

The badges which are valid only for a season cost $15 for Caf A to C with the local Level One to Four brooches going for $10.— @ZililoR