Former Warriors head coach Norman Mapeza has voiced criticism of the perception that only foreign, particularly white, coaches can bring progress to Zimbabwean football. His remarks came after Zimbabwe’s disappointing defeat to Lesotho in preparation for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) set for December.
Speaking to ZimNow, Mapeza expressed frustration at what he described as a lack of belief in local coaching talent. “The problem with most Zimbabweans is that they think white people develop and change football,” he said. “There’s only a colour difference. How can we develop football in Zimbabwe if local coaches aren’t trusted and employed as head coaches?”
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Mapeza, who once led the national team on several occasions, insisted that meaningful football development will only come when Zimbabweans put faith in their own coaches and football systems. He stressed that relying on foreign expertise without building internal capacity is not a sustainable path to success.
“I’m not afraid of anyone who’s going to shout at me,” Mapeza continued. “But I will continue being honest and speaking the truth. We need to start believing in ourselves and in our local coaches if we want to see real progress.”
His comments come at a time when the Zimbabwe Football Association faces growing pressure to improve the national team’s performance ahead of AFCON.
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