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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA technical director Wilson Mutekede yesterday said the association is edging closer to resuming Caf coaching courses after getting permission from the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).

Zimbabwe last held a Caf A course in January 2017, the same year that standardisation of coaches was implemented in the Premier Soccer League, affecting a number of Caf B badge holders, as they could no longer coach in the topflight.

While there had been no coaching courses in Zimbabwe, Zambia has been marching ahead and is currently hosting its second Caf C licence course this year.

Mutekede said they were hoping to stage Caf A, B and C courses before the end of this year.

“If you look at Zambia, they never suspended football activities because of Covid-19, hence they have been holding Caf courses, while all our programmes were suspended because of Covid-19. We’ve now been allowed to resume classes and dates have been passed for some programmes that we had applied for. We now hope to have Caf A, B and C licence courses before the end of the year,” said Mutekede.

Zifa has also applied to Caf for an elite refresher course for topflight coaches as well as Caf certified instructors.

Zimbabwe has four Caf certified instructors, Triangle United coach Tawurayi Mangwiro, Nelson Matongorere from Caps United, former Zifa technical director Maxwell Jongwe and Mutekede.

The refresher course should have been held before resumption of football activities.

The Caf C syllabus being held in Zambia is divided into two modules to improve the quality of coaches. Participants will undergo one module for 10 days, followed by a 20-day internship programme at a club that has a Caf A-licensed coach.

The coaches will then be given badges after meeting the number of hours recommended by Caf in theory, practical and internship in addition to reaching the pass mark of not less than 60 percent in the laws of the game.

Among the 30 Caf C participants in Zambia are retired Zimbabwean player Zimiseleni Moyo.

The course will end on July 18. — @ZililoR