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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

CHICKEN Inn FC are fuming at Zifa for appointing Joey Antipas assistant national senior men’s team coach without their blessing.

The Gamecocks feel “belittled” by Zifa for announcing Antipas’ appointment without their knowledge on Wednesday.

“Everyone at the club is shocked how Zifa announced the appointment of our employee as Chicken Inn FC without talking to us. Antipas is Chicken Inn’s head coach and it’s surprising that they (Zifa) appointed him to the position of national team assistant coach when he had not applied for that job. He had applied for the Warriors’ top job and we were prepared for anything that would have arisen had he been successful,” said Chicken Inn secretary-general Tawengwa Hara.

“What Zifa has done is similar to a club that announces signing a player contracted to another club without Club A communicating with Club B. Our last agreement with Zifa regarding Antipas ended in December last year. We are going to sit as a club, speak to Antipas and find out what he wants,” he said.

Antipas was the Warriors’ caretaker coach and took charge of the 2022 World Cup preliminary round encounter against Somalia, two 2021 Afcon qualifying matches against Botswana and Zambia, as well as a Chan qualifier against Lesotho.

He is one of three local gaffers who will assist newly appointed Warriors’ head coach Zdravko Logarusic from Croatia together with Lloyd Chitembwe of Harare City and Dynamos’ Tonderayi Ndiraya. South African-based former Zimbabwe Saints goalkeeper Pernell McKop takes over goalkeepers’ coach, replacing FC Platinum’s Tembo Chuma. Ndiraya will also be in charge of the national Under-23 side.

Antipas said he will meet with his club bosses about his national team role.

“It’s always an honour to serve my country and all I can say is that I’ll meet my bosses and hear what they say,” said Antipas. — @ZililoR