Tigers short-list three coaches

Azam Tigers have short-listed two locals and a foreigner to take over the coaching mantle left by Leo Mpulula who did not renew his contract.

In an interview on Friday, Tigers chairperson Sydney Chikoti kept a tight lead on the identities of the coaches, but he said they will decide on their preferred trainer this Tuesday.

But an inside source told Nation on Sunday that the three are former Silver Strikers coach Franco Ndawa, ex-Big Bullets mentor Eddingtone Ng’onamo and former Mighty Wanderers coach Zimbabwean Rahman Gumbo.

“We know the issue of hiring our next coach has created anxiety among the public. But we are a professional club that follows procedures in any of our dealings. What I can say now is that we have earmarked three coaches, two locals and a foreigner.

“We will announce the name of our preferred choice on Tuesday because we want him to start preparing the team early ahead of the next TNM Super League season,” said Chikoti.

According to the insider who asked for anonymity, Ndawa and Gumbo are the hottest contenders for the position.

“Ndawa is being preferred because of his vast experience in the country while Gumbo is being favoured for his past good working relationship with Chikoti at Wanderers when Chikoti was chairperson,” said the source.

Ndawa, who was Under-17 national team coach, won silverware with Wanderers and Silver Strikers but was fired following spells of poor results.

Gumbo won the Super League title with Wanderers in his debut season in 2007. In 2013, the former Zimbabwe national football team gaffer guided Bulawayo Chiefs of the Southern Region Division One to their first silverware.

The former Flames interim coach, Ng’onamo, coached Bullets in the last two years till he recently resigned as technical adviser.