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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Warriors defender Carlos Max is eying the senior national team manager’s post despite revelations that Zifa has already shortlisted five candidates for the job, including former manager Wellington Mpandare.

Besides Mpandare, the only one on the list not to have played for the Warriors, other shortlisted candidates include United States of America based former Dynamos and Warriors’ hitman Vitalis Takawira,

Chicken Inn midfielder Clemence Matawu, former AmaZulu and Mamelodi Sundowns skipper Esrom Nyandoro as well as former Zimbabwe Saints legend Agent Sawu.

Max, who started his football career at Arcadia United before moving to Caps United and later Dynamos where he was part of the DeMbare championship winning side of 1995, revealed his intention to return to the national team set up in a Facebook post, which he confirmed to Chronicle Sport.

“Yes, it’s true. I am serious about that (being Warriors manager),” said Murehwa, as Max was called during his playing days.

He said he believes his experience as a former national team player made him an ideal candidate.

He said during his early days in the national team they had no manager, with senior players being tasked with duties of a present day team manager.

“I think my experience as a former national team player speaks for itself, but my experience from my era is different.

“Those days we never had a team manager; it was just the coach and his assistant, so senior players and/or captains got involved a lot in things outside of training such as camping times, arrival of all players into camp, training schedules, meal schedules, allocation of rooms to players and arranging who partnered who, departure times to and from, checking of passports boarding passes and so forth. Most importantly it was the welfare of players as well as injuries, negotiating of bonuses and checking of kits and training equipment. It was more than just playing,” said Max.

Max made his national team debut under the late Ghanaian coach Ben Kouffie in 1983.

He was also part of the famous Dream Team coached by the late German Rienhard Fabisch and was a 1992 Castle Lager Soccer Stars of the Year finalist.

“I haven’t submitted my papers yet for the post, but I am ready anytime if asked to,” said Max.