NEW Warriors coach Michael Nees is now in Zimbabwe and ready to start work after the Zifa normalisation committee successfully acquired his work permit.
The German national was appointed on July 30 on a two-year contract, but remained holed up in his native country as his work permit took time to be processed.
Nees touched down at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport around lunchtime yesterday and is set to be unveiled today.
Zifa general-secretary Yvonne Manwa confirmed Nees’ arrival yesterday.
“We expect him to arrive any time, if he has not arrived already,” Manwa said yesterday lunchtime.
“We are just going to do the formalities before we officially invite the media to the unveiling. We are just finalising it. We are proposing to do the unveiling tomorrow [today].”
Nees’ immediate task would be to appoint his backroom staff before announcing the squad for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya and Cameroon.
“I don’t think the squad will be announced [at the coach’s unveiling]. I will find out from the coach. Now that he is here, we will hear from him,” Manwa said.
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Nees becomes the first substantive Warriors coach since the normalisation committee took control of the governing of local football in June last year.
Five interim coaches took charge of the team, since the appointment of the Lincoln Mutasa-led committee over a year ago, with disastrous consequences.
Nees has been mandated to lead Zimbabwe to next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The homeless Warriors open their Group J 2025 Afcon qualification campaign away to Kenya on September 4.
Four days later, Nees’ men will host Cameroon in a match that will be played at a neutral venue.
Kenya, who, just like Zimbabwe, do not have a Caf-certified stadium to host international matches, will host the Warriors in Uganda at the Mandela National Stadium.
Kenya’s two main stadiums, Nyayo Stadium and Kasarani Sports Complex, are currently undergoing renovations in preparation for CHAN 2025 and Afcon 2027 tournaments and are not yet ready for use.
Manwa told this publication earlier this week that the Warriors would remain in Kampala for their home match against Cameroon.
The Zifa normalisation committee had considered moving the game to South Africa, where the team has a huge support base, but backed off due to logistical reasons.
Already, the Warriors played their last two home matches in foreign land.
Zimbabwe hosted Nigeria in Rwanda last year, before they played Lesotho in South Africa this year in the 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
The remaining Group J Afcon matches will be played in October and November.
In October, Zimbabwe play back-to-back matches against Namibia.
The two matches are likely to be played in South Africa since Namibia does not have a Caf-certified stadium.
Zimbabwe will then host Kenya before travelling to Cameroon at the start of November.
Two teams that finish at the top of the group after the round robin matches will automatically qualify for the Afcon finals set for Morocco next year.
