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Fungai Muderere, [email protected]

Zifa Normalisation Committee (NC) chairperson, Lincoln Mutasa says they are confident that the newly appointed Warriors gaffer Michael Nees will lead in a new era of accomplishment for the country’s flagship football team.

Nees, of Germany, was announced as the new Warriors gaffer yesterday morning after the country had endured a long wait for the appointment of a substantive Warriors coach with the NC saying last week that the race for the job had now been narrowed down to five candidates.

Zimbabwe has been without a substantive coach since the sacking of Croatian, Zdravko Logarusic, in 2022.

“Zifa is confident that Michael Nees’s appointment will usher in a new era of success for the Warriors. His vast experience, combined with his innovative coaching style, makes him the ideal candidate to lead our national team to new heights,” said Mutasa.

Veteran coaches, Joey Antipas, Sunday Chidzambwa, Baltemar Brito, Norman Mapeza and Jairos Tapera have all taken turns to be in charge on an interim basis over the years.

Following his appointment, Nees said: “I am a modern and innovative coach who is driven by international challenges and who can think outside the box to gain competitive advantage. Without a doubt, the Warriors always have great players and massive team potential, but they need to avoid being too predictable to qualify for the Fifa World Cup and the African Cup of Nations. I am confident in achieving these goals because I have the expertise to professionally enhance all major factors of performance and to make a difference within a short period. I will guide the national team with dedication and professionalism and work to achieve a winning Zimbabwe that can make the nation proud.”

Former Bulawayo Chiefs, Bulawayo City, Chicken Inn and Arenel Movers head coach, Farai Tawachera backed Nees appointment saying there is need to give him all the necessary support.

“I think it’s a good move, look at what the late Reinhard Fabisch did with our Warriors Dream Team. I think we need that Germany style of football management. It’s really a positive move as we need to stand up and be counted as the best in Africa.

“Actually, we are the best, we just need to push and support the new coach,” said Tawachera.
Former Zimbabwe international Zenzo Moyo said: “It is unfortunate that as a country we always have a reactionary approach to football. Nees comes in but there is no foundation. He will bring in his philosophy and new back-room staff. Only if he could have found someone who was in the national team junior development for about five years, it was going to be good. We are always starting afresh as a country. There was need for proper planning. However, we cannot judge the new coach before we see what he is made of.”

Nees, who beat four other foreign coaches and fellow countrymen Antoine Hey and Winfried Schafer, Brazilian Marcio Maximo Barcellos and Gerard Nus Casanova of Spain, last worked as manager of the Kosovo national Under-21 team.

He had a stint as a technical advisor for South Africa from 2008 to 2009. Over the past 25 years, Nees has held elite coaching and technical leadership positions across Africa, Europe and Asia.

He has guided various national teams in over 200 international matches. Notably, in 2005 and 2006, he was part of the support staff for the England national team during the Fifa World Cup 2006 in Germany, under the auspices of Fifa.

He has extensive experience including serving as the head coach of the Rwanda senior men’s national team and the director of coaching and education at the South African Football Association (Safa).

His deep knowledge of the African football landscape and his innovative approach are expected to provide a significant advantage in the upcoming Afcon qualification campaign.

The Warriors begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification assignment against Kenya in September and conclude the campaign in November before shifting focus to the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers that resume next year in March.
—@FungaiMuderere