Former Warriors skipper Benjani Mwaruwari has been cleared by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to head Ngezi Platinum Stars’ technical department following his appointment by the club this week.
Mwaruwari does not hold the requisite Confederation Of African Football (CAF) A coaching badge and since he has the UEFA A licence, he needed to get a waiver from the national association.
It’s the former Manchester City striker’s first big job for a local club in the country having briefly served as Warriors assistant coach under Croatian Zdravko Logarušić.
A source in the ZIFA secretariat Friday said the former Warriors captain has temporarily been cleared to coach in the top league while he prepares to acquire the CAF A licence, a course that has not been offered in the country for some time. The source said:
He was cleared yesterday (Thursday). He was given a provisional exemption which means he can coach in the PSL until such a time when we have Caf A courses.
Mwaruwari has promised to win trophies for Ngezi Platinum Stars where he will be deputised by former Highlanders gaffer Bongani Mafu, former Hwange coach, and Takesure Chiragwi. Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu remains the goalkeepers’ coach with another Warriors legend Tinashe Nengomasha appointed team manager while Tonderai Vera is the performance analyst.
The Undertaker arrives at Ngezi Platinum when the club has already slipped to seven points behind log leaders Chicken Inn and he will be expected to change the fortunes of the team.
Castle Lager fixtures
Today:
i). Chicken Inn v Manica Diamonds (Luveve),
ii). Yadah v Herentals (Baobab),
iii). FC Platinum v Whawha (Mandava),
iv). Cranborne Bullets v Bulawayo City (Sakubva),
v). (ZPC Kariba v Harare City (Nyamhunga)
Tomorrow:
a). Triangle FC v Highlanders (Gibbo),
b). Tenax v Caps United (Sakubva),
c). Bulawayo Chiefs v Ngezi Platinum (Luveve),
d). Dynamos v Black Rhinos (NSS)
More: NewsDay Zimbabwe