THOUGH the sacking of Zdravko Logarusic was long overdue, we still lay the blame  for the  Warriors’ debacle on the doorstep of those responsible for employing this substandard gaffer.

And that’s none other than the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).

ZIFA was responsible for endorsing the selection of the Croat, who did not take long to show that he would turn out to be the Warriors’ worst coach. 

Indeed, the soccer loving public was puzzled as to the criteria used to choose this disaster, which the Felton Kamambo-led ZIFA had no problem in approving.

We were told at the beginning of 2020 that Loga had come out tops from more than 12 aspiring candidates.

What was clear right from the start was that Loga hadn’t any track record of note as a national team coach.

All we were to learn was that he had hopped from one club to another across the African continent, leaving a trail of disaster  where ever he coached.

The first glimpse of his style was when he was held  to a goalless draw by Malawi.

He was far from being impressive.

Pathetic performances at the CHAN 2021 tournament, where we came out last, were to follow.

By the end of this tournament, it was obvious that at national level, as far as Loga’s performance was concerned, the Peter Principle was very apparent.

The poor fellow had clearly reached his level of incompetence.

The soccer fraternity was very vocal in questioning the justification  of keeping Loga at the helm of the Warriors.

What with the imminent World Cup qualifiers!

To the annoyance of soccer stakeholders, ZIFA remained unmoved — and Loga stayed put!

Worse was to follow at the COSAFA Cup tournament in SA, where the Warriors were reduced to whipping boys.

Again the Warriors were last without a single win. 

Protests from football stakeholders this time rose to a crescendo because of Loga’s now trademark humiliating performance.

But not with ZlFA.

The football mother body seemed to bide their time.

Then, finally, Loga let them down when he failed to garner a minimum of four points in the World Cup games against Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia.

ZIFA had to finally bow down to pressure.

Loga has no-one to blame but himself, since it looks like his paymasters had a soft spot for him.

This is where soccer loving football fans get worried.

If the same ZIFA board that approved the selection of Loga from more than a dozen contestants is the same team that is going to have a say about his successor, then we have every reason to be worried.

How much does this Kamambo-led board know about football anyway?

We are afraid they might rely on the same suspect technical committee that saw an equally suspect Logarusic emerge as their choice.

Surely the composition of this technical committee has to be revised.

Deliberate inclusion of retired footballers, who have gone through the mill, is very necessary.

This committee should then be guided by the combined years  of  dealing with football matters from  practical experience.

It doesn’t matter whether the coach they finally select is local or foreign.

We must not put the cart before the horse by telling them to specifically opt for a local or foreign coach.

Let’s leave them to be guided by the Curriculum Vitae of each candidate.

Meanwhile, because of the urgency to fill the void left by the failed Croat immediately, a local coach would be ideal.

But whichever coach is finally selected, we don’t want discrimination  in their contracts.

The conditions and salary stipulated in the contract of the outgoing foreign coach should be no different from that of a local coach.

Local coaches have always been short changed.

We wish Loga’s successor a successful spell as he leads the Warriors in the remaining World Cup games and the AFCON finals in January.