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CALLISTO PASUWA

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter—
WARRIORS coach Callisto Pasuwa has broken his silence over reports linking him to a possible move to Tanzanian giants Simba Sports Club, with the gaffer saying he remains committed to his job with the senior national team and has no interests to move elsewhere. Cash-rich Simba SC, one of the two big boys of Tanzanian football, have been stalking Pasuwa and a delegation from the club was recently in Harare where preliminary negotiations were conducted to try and prise the coach from his job with the Warriors.

The Herald revealed yesterday that the Tanzanians were sending another delegation next week, who will come with an improved offer, in their attempts to secure Pasuwa’s signature.

Simba SC are believed to be ready to pay Pasuwa a salary of $20 000 a month, making him one of the highest-paid coaches on the continent, while also providing him with generous incentives, including paying for the fees of his kids at an exclusive private school in Dar-es-Salaam.

Pasuwa will also be given a four-bedroom flat in an upmarket area of Dar-es-Salaam as part of the package should he agree to dump the Warriors and return to club football, more than a year-and-a-half after his last flirtation at this level of the game with Dynamos.

The coach’s stock has exploded in recent months after he ended the Warriors’ lengthy wait for a place at the African Cup of Nations finals with the senior national team winning a group, which featured West African giants Guinea, with a game to spare.

The Warriors are also unbeaten in their five 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers and have scored seven goals, conceding none, in their last two qualifiers.

Reports that Pasuwa could be tempted from his job, where his salary is $7 000 a month and is paid by ZIFA benefactor Wicknell Chivayo, have unsettled the coach’s employers at the National Football Association of Zimbabwe.

Yesterday NAFAZ president Philip Chiyangwa called for an urgent meeting with Pasuwa to discuss the reports which first emerged two weeks ago and have since been buttressed by the move by the Tanzanian club to send representatives next week to try and tempt the coach from his job.

Pasuwa told The Herald yesterday, after his meeting with Chiyangwa, that he was not aware of the offer from Simba SC, had never discussed anything with the Tanzanian club or their representatives and reiterated his allegiance to the Warriors.

“I have heard about all these stories and today (yesterday) I had a meeting with the (NAFAZ) president (Chiyangwa) where I told him my position,” said Pasuwa.

“In fact, I know nothing about all this because I have not met anyone from Tanzania over that issue. “I was asked the same question by a reporter while in Namibia for the COSAFA tournament and my answer was the same — I haven’t discussed with anyone.

“Probably they have talked to my manager, (Gibson Mahachi) but it has not come to my attention yet. Of course, he (Mahachi) receives numerous calls from different clubs making enquiries, it’s normal.

“Besides, I have a running contract with ZIFA (NAFAZ) and if ever I decide to leave it’s something that I have to discuss with my employers because they are the ones who can give me clearance.

“Remember I worked without a contract for a long time and now I have it, it means I have to honour it. At the moment my focus and my commitment is with the Warriors. We have just qualified for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations and that’s what I am concentrating on.”

The Tanzanian side, who are home to former Dynamos midfielder Justice Majabvi, sent their representatives to watch the Warriors’ last 2017 Nations Cup qualifier against Malawi which Pasuwa’s men won 3-0 to seal their place in Gabon next year.

The agents sent a glowing report to the Simba SC management saying they were impressed by the coach’s pedigree, especially the way his team defends, and urged the club to ensure to move mountains to secure his signature.

Currently, Simba SC are under the guidance of a caretaker coach, Ugandan gaffer Jackson Manyanja. Chiyangwa also told The Herald that he would not release Pasuwa under whatever circumstances.

“You can go and tell that Tanzanian club that I will not release our senior national team coach to them under whatever circumstances and they can go onto the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, in their efforts to get him and still they will not succeed,” said Chiyangwa.

“We have the rights to Pasuwa because we have a contract with him and we are working very well together and the fruits of our partnership can be seen by our qualification to Gabon.

“Pasuwa is not a small boy anymore who can be enticed to join clubs, but he is a national team coach and his profile continues to grow and he knows that a lot of people have been promised heaven in the past in this job, but there is a difference between promises and what can be delivered.

“I can tell you that we have one mission with Pasuwa and he is committed to coaching our national team and he knows that I won’t release him from his contract because we agreed that we are in this together and he is a gentleman who honours his contract.”