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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Warriors skipper Benjani Mwaruwari has been drafted into the Warriors’ technical team as one of the assistant coaches to Norman Mapeza.

Mwaruwari is the Zimbabwe Under-23 head coach.

The former Jomo Cosmos, Auxerre, Manchester City and Portsmouth forward joins Mandla Mpofu and Tawurayi Mangwiro as Mapeza’s lieutenants in the dugout and is set to be in Harare today in time for the Warriors’ camp as they begin preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations finals that get underway in Cameroon next month.

The Undertaker, as Mwaruwari was known due to his scoring prowess as a player, makes his second dance with the Warriors’ technical bench after being roped in as one of the three assistants during the World Cup qualifiers when Croatian Zdravko Logarusic was head coach.

“Mwaruwari is now one of our assistant coaches and is expected to be part of the Afcon finals preparations,” said Zifa acting chief executive officer and spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela.

A holder of a Uefa A coaching badge, Mwaruwari was initially expected to continue in his role as assistant, but was left out when Mapeza named his backroom staff, igniting talk in the streets that the two don’t see eye to eye.

The allegations were, however, dismissed by Mapeza, who described them as sad amid fears that a third force bent on destabilising the Warriors’ camp was behind the alleged feud claims between the two former Warriors’ captains.

Meanwhile, the Warriors will go into camp today to kick start their Afcon finals preparations.

The coaches called up a 30-member provisional squad that will be trimmed to 23 on December 31 ahead of departure for Cameroon.