HARARE, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) appointed Croatian coach Zdravko Lugarisic (54) as the substantive coach of the senior men team - the Warriors - on a two-year deal.
The UEFA Pro License holder has coached in Africa for the past 11 years and worked in Ghana, Kenya, Angola, Sudan and Tanzania.
In a post on his Twitter handle on Wednesday and quoted by The Herald newspaper Thursday, Lugarisic said he was ready for the new challenge: "Happy for this new challenge. Let's go Warriors!''
The Croatian changed his Twitter background picture to include the Zimbabwean flag, the newspaper added.
Local coaches Joey Antipas (Chicken Inn) and Lloyd Chitembwe (Harare City) were appointed first and second assistants respectively.
Antipas was in interim charge of the national senior team for four months until December 31.
Former Zimbabwe Saints goalkeeper Pernell McKop will be in charge of the goalkeepers.
ZIFA president Felton Kamambo said he believed Logarusic would add value to the Warriors.
"We expect him to qualify us to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. He should also have a plan for us to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar," he said.
