Witness Runodada-Report
The appointment of Romanian coach Marian Marinica has triggered yet another public backlash, with fans accusing ZIFA of wasting money, ignoring local coaching talent, and recycling a failed formula that has produced almost nothing for nearly two decades.
The fans have written an emotional letter addressed to ZIFA President Magwizi.
“When you came into office, sir, we thought maybe this was the moment… But today, our hearts are heavy again.”
The letter warns that such decisions undermine hopes of rebuilding the national team after years of bans, scandals and heartbreak.
The fans want genuine commitment to empowering local coaches who understand Zimbabwean football’s culture, challenges and potential.
As Simbai Makumbe put it bluntly:
“Zimbabwe has got local talented coaches, but the problem is you don’t want to hire them… murikudya nema foreign coaches tirikukuonai zvedu kuZIFA ikoko.”
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The frustration rests on hard numbers. In the last 17 years, ZIFA has paid about US$1 million to four foreign coaches — Valinhos, Pagels, Logarusic and Nees — who delivered only three wins combined. Critics say Marinica’s appointment signals that ZIFA has learned nothing.
Concerns about Marinica’s record are also based on hard numbers. He comes with a dismal record of three wins in 25 matches and resigned from his Liberia post in October 2024 after fan pressure following a home loss to Equatorial Guinea. Before that, the Football Association of Malawi declined to renew his contract after heavy defeats to Egypt in AFCON qualifiers, including a 4–0 loss at home.
The president of the Zimbabwe Soccer Supporters Association, Adomsi Mukwasi Makosi, said ZIFA must realise that a coach does not make a team:
“As for now, I don’t think Zimbabwe needs a foreign coach because our records… show that we are a failure in all systems of football development. From the level of age groups, we have never produced better results.”
Former Warriors coach Norman Mapeza has long warned against the “white coach saviour syndrome”:
“The problem with most Zimbabweans is that they think white people develop and change football… How can we develop football in Zimbabwe if local coaches aren’t trusted and employed as head coaches?”
History shows that when ZIFA trusted local expertise, results followed. Reinhard Fabisch, the iconic Dream Team coach, was foreign but had a golden generation. Yet the country’s single greatest breakthrough — the historic 2004 AFCON qualification — came under a Zimbabwean, Sunday Chidzambwa.
Perhaps ZIFA needs to look to soccer powerhouse Egypt, which has won three consecutive AFCON titles under Egyptian coaches.
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