ZIMBABWE Football Association (Zifa) normalisation committee passed on a golden opportunity to appoint an experienced high-profile coach who has proven himself at the grand stages to pick a nomadic mentor with no track record of success.
Yesterday, Zifa announced that they had settled for 57-year-old German coach Michael Nees to take over as the Warriors coach.
Fifa will pay the new coach and here was an opportunity for Zifa to pick Winfried Schäfer who has won the Africa Cup of Nations before.
Schäfer had by far the most impressive CV among the five candidates that were shortlisted by Zifa yet they went for Nees who has got limited experience in the African terrain.
Nees had brief stints with Seychelles and Rwanda, but failed to lead them to anything meaningful.
He lasted three matches as Seychelles boss while he coached Rwanda in two matches.
Nees coached Israel and Kosovo Under-21 teams and has never qualified to any major tournament as a coach.
In comparison, Schäfer played in the Bundesliga and won the competition as well as that country's FA Cup, coached Jamaica and Thailand and a host of clubs that include Germany's Stuttgart.
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He coach Jamaica in the Copa America and the Gold Cup where they finished second having eliminated favourites United States of America.
Schäfer presided over Cameroon in 33 matches, won 14, drew 11 and lost eight.
Nees’s main brief will be to lead the Zimbabwe senior men's national team to the 2025 Afcon finals, whose qualifiers will be played and concluded towards the end of the year.
The 2026 Fifa World Cup campaign is seemingly ailing, but the new coach has pledged to breathe life back into it.
“I am a modern and innovative coach who is driven by international challenges and who can think outside the box to gain a competitive advantage," Nees said about himself.
"Without a doubt, the Warriors always have great players and massive team potential, but they need to avoid being too predictable to qualify for the Fifa World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations."
Zimbabwe are in Group J of the Afcon qualifiers together with Cameroon, Kenya and Namibia.
Schäfer's experience with Cameroon would have come in handy in this tough qualifier, but Nees believes he can do it.
“I am confident in achieving these goals because I have the expertise to professionally enhance all major factors of performance and to make a difference within a short period. I will guide the national team with dedication and professionalism and work to achieve a winning Zimbabwe that can make the nation proud,” Nees said.
Zifa announced the German’s appointment in a Press statement.
“Zifa is delighted to announce the appointment of Michael Nees as the new head coach of the Zimbabwe men’s national team. The 57-year-old German will lead the Warriors in their quest for success in the Zifa 2025 and Fifa 2026 World Cup qualifiers," Zifa said.
“Michael Nees brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished background to the role. He holds a Uefa pro license from Germany and an MA degree in Sports Science, Performance Physiology and Ethnology from the prestigious University of Heidelberg.
Additionally, he has acquired a coaching qualification in “life kinetik,” a unique training methodology introduced to football by former Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp.
“Over the past 25 years, Nees has held elite coaching and technical leadership positions across Caf, Uefa and AFC. He has guided various national teams in over 200 international matches. Notably, in 2005 and 2006, he was part of the support staff for the England national team during the Fifa World Cup 2006 in Germany, under the auspices of Fifa.
“Nees’s extensive experience includes serving as the head coach of the Rwanda senior men’s national team and the director of coaching and education at the South African Football Association.
“His deep knowledge of the African football landscape and his innovative approach are expected to provide a significant advantage in the upcoming Afcon qualification campaign."
Zifa normalisation committee chairperson Lincoln Mutasa said Nees’s innovative coaching style won him the job.
“Zifa is confident that Michael Nees’s appointment will usher in a new era of success for the Warriors. His vast experience, combined with his innovative coaching style, makes him the ideal candidate to lead our national team to new heights,” he said.
