HARARE - Rahman Gumbo finally quit as Zimbabwe national football team coach as largely expected following another failed tenure at the helm of the Warriors.

Gumbo, who was appointed in February following the suspension of Norman Mapeza on match-fixing and illegal betting charges, handed his resignation over a month after failing to guide the Warriors to next year’s African Nations Cup finals in South Africa.

The former Zimbabwe international’s appointment took many by surprise, coming as it did eight years after Zifa fired him following a humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Nigeria in a World Cup and Nations Cup qualifier in 2004.  

Gumbo was initially re-appointed as Warriors caretaker coach in February but following his sacking by FC Platinum in July, Zifa installed him as the substantive coach and gave him the mandate to oversee Zimbabwe’s remaining 2013 Nations Cup and 2014 World Cup qualifying campaigns.

Gumbo would fail dismally again in his second term in charge of the team, presiding over the Warriors’ shattering failure to qualify for Afcon 2013.

Zimbabwe blew away a 3-1 first leg lead, losing 2-0 away to Angola in the second leg as the Palancas Negras sealed passage to the Nations Cup at the expense of the Warriors.

Gumbo’s resignation came as the Zifa board was holding an emergency board meeting yesterday, where the former Highlanders and CAPS United coach was expected to be shown the exit door anyway.

Last week, Gumbo submitted a technical report on the failed Afcon campaign, which sources said was roundly-condemned by a Zifa high-performance and technical committee, which recommended his sacking.