Tapera To Select His Own Squad For COSAFA

Zimbabwe Football Association Normalization Committee is slowly beginning to correct some of the mistakes made prior to the two World cup qualifiers that ended in disaster, by allowing interim coach Jairos Tapera to select his own squad for the 2024 COSAFA Cup to be held in South Africa from June 26- July 7th 2024.

The Manica Diamonds gaffer who was emergently appointed interim coach less than a week before the world cup qualifiers to work with the squad that had been selected by the Zifa NC, has returned the important role of selecting his own players.

Identifying the players to fulfil a vision is arguably a coach’s most crucial role. His approach to selection establishes the values of the environment he is trying to create in the team.

Tapera has been given the opportunity to reshuffle the COSAFA Cup squad that had been picked by the NC and will select his own players to battle for Zimbabwe’s reign at the regional tournament.

Tapera said he will base his selection on the up and coming young stars who still need a chance to prove themselves in the national team ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers starting in September.

“Given that we have to look into the future, we feel this is a tournament to give opportunities to players that have shown promise and are still under the age of 23 years. Of course, there will be one or two experienced players to make up the spine of the team. So, we are trying to build from there.”, said Tapera speaking to Zimpapers news hub

“There is no reason we should be calling someone like Tawanda Chirewa, we should be paving the way for others,” said Tapera.

The six time Champions, Zimbabwe have been placed in group B alongside defendants Zambia who took advantage to win their seventh COSAFA title last year when Zimbabwe was on FIFA suspension.

Other teams in group B include Comoros and Malawi who withdrew immediately after the draw due to the untimely passing of their vice-president and will be replaced by a guest nation.

Tanzania has been invited several times to the COSAFA Cup tournament and could be the one to replace Malawi in group B.

D.R. Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Senegal have also took part in the Southern regional tournament as guest countries.