The blundering Zifa normalisation committee yesterday hit a panic button by appointing Jairos Tapera to take charge of the Warriors' World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa next month.
Zifa were left stranded after failing to appoint a coach well on time and were forced to come up with a technical team, two weeks before the matches.
The association has picked the squad for the two matches.
While Tapera is enjoying a rich vein of form with Manica Diamonds, his appointment reeks of desperation from an out of sorts association.
Tapera will be deputised by GreenFuel coach Saul Chaminuka and Takesure Chiragwi of Ngezi Platinum Stars.
Veteran coach Sunday Chidzambga returns to the dugout as a technical advisor.
“Following the purposeful and expansive process conducted by the Zifa normalisation committee to appoint a substantive head coach for our senior men’s national team, my committee and I are pleased to announce that the process has reached its finalisation,” normalisation committee chairperson Lincoln Mutasa said in a statement.
He said the failure to conclude talks with the prospective candidates forced them into a stopgap measure.
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“However, due to ongoing discussions with the selected candidate, we are unable to make the necessary announcement at this stage.
“Given that our World Cup qualifiers versus Lesotho and South Africa are imminent, the delay in the conclusion of this appointment has necessitated the appointment of an interim coaching team that will take charge of our two Fifa World Cup Qualifiers as well as the Cosafa senior men’s tournament that starts immediately after these qualifiers.
"This will assist the Zifa normalisation committee to conclude the substantive appointment of the head coach of the senior men’s national team meticulously, thoroughly and successfully,” Mutasa said.
“We have full confidence they will ably lead the team. It is our hope that the nation will rally behind the team and unite to achieve the success we all so dearly desire.”
Zifa has failed to explain who among the technical team selected the squad that has been put together for the two matches.
