The Sunday News
NINE foreign coaches have shown interest in the vacant Highlanders coaching job with four of them having submitted their applications this past week alone.
Prior to new names having come up, Highlanders had cut the list to two with Scottish Desmond Bulpin and Jeff Cook from the United States of America the only candidates.
However, other names cropped up. These included those from Dutchman Peter De Jongh, his Netherlands counterpart Erol Akbay, Ethiopian Anteneh Eshete and Malawian Kinnah Phiri.
Akbay was reportedly recommended to the club by Highlanders long standing financial backer Tshinga Dube. Already written off the list of potential candidates are former Zimbabwe Warriors coach Clemence Westerhof, ex Caps United mentor Mark Harrison and Zambian Dean Mwiinde.
On Friday Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede revealed that the process of identifying the new coach should not take more than a week as the idea was to have the coach in place at least at the team’s last two matches of the season.
“The process of finding a new coach cannot take longer than a week now, we want the coach to watch at least two of our matches,’’ said Gumede.
He pointed out that they will take advantage of advances in technology in conducting their interviews and there will be no need for the aspiring candidates to come to Zimbabwe.
Some of the determining factors which will play a part in Highlanders settling for their new coach are the salary expectations and age of the applicants.
Indications are that most of the candidates will be happy with remuneration of around $4 000 per month.
Highlanders found themselves without a coach when they fired Bongani Mafu, alongside his assistants Mandla Mpofu and Peter Nkomo as well as team manager Netsai Moyo in September due to the team’s poor run.
