HARARE - Zifa yesterday unveiled a new Warriors technical bench to assist newly-appointed coach Klaus Dieter Pagels.

The Geman — who was appointed last week as replacement for Rahman Gumbo — will be assisted by Warriors legend Peter Ndlovu as well as former Dynamos midfielder and coach Lloyd Mutasa in an interim structure.

Ndlovu is the only surviving member of the Gumbo regime, while Mutasa, who this week quit as coach of Swazi top-flight outfit Green Mamba following a string of poor results, is a rather surprise choice.  

Sharrif Mussa bounces back as team manager while Nkululeko Dhalamini is the new goalkeepers’ coach.

The duo takes over from Nyika Chifamba and Richard Tswatswa, respectively.

Working under the new technical department is a special assignment coach, Ian Gorowa. The former Zimbabwe international, who currently works as a television pundit on SuperSport, has vast coaching experience in South African football.

The new coaches have been tasked with resuscitating a beleaguered national side after Zifa disbanded the entire team in October following a damaging match-fixing saga and subsequent failure to qualify for next year’s African Nations Cup finals in South Africa.

Zimbabwe are also in a precarious position in their quest for the 2014 World Cup, having managed just a point from their opening two qualifiers.  

 “When I came to Zimbabwe I saw (former Premiership side) Kiglon playing and they played good football,” Pagels told reporters during a press conference to unveil his team yesterday.

“They were coached by Lloyd Mutasa then.  And this is the same style I also like.”

Ndlovu, who was also strongly recommended by Pagels, automatically becomes a Warriors assistant by virtue of being the Zimbabwe Under-23 head coach.

“No coach will start a match without the initiative to win. We want to win every match,” Pagels.

Pagels said a new philosophy was needed to turn around the Warriors’ fortune.  

“What I observed when I came is that here its kick and rush. Defenders like to stay at the back, kick the ball up and then wait or go on holiday. But that’s not what we want. I hope I can take back Zimbabwe to its glory days.”

After the appointment of the interim technical team, Zifa urged the nation to be patient with the new coaches and team.

“The Zimbabwe Football Association would like to appeal to the family of football to have unity of purpose, as we rebuild the Warriors. The rebuilding exercise shall not be a stroll in the park, given that the rebuilding exercise shall have to endure all sorts of social and economic terrains,” read a statement from Zifa.

We appeal to the entire nation to be patient as we rally behind the new technical structure...we cannot keep harping on failed campaigns. We need to formulate a war cry as we navigate through the rubble of failed campaigns.”