Tanzania giants Simba CEO Barbara Gonzalez has defended the club’s decision to axe its coach Zoran Manojlović, saying African clubs no longer needed ‘plumbers’ to steer them forward.
Manojlović replaced Spaniard Pablo Franco Martin, who left the club at the end of May after six months in charge, and was only at the helm for 57 days.
The club on Tuesday announced it had cut ties with the Serbian. When pressed on why the club was in the habit of hiring and firing coaches, Gonzalez said there was a need for African coaches committed to rebuilding cubs on a long-term basis.
The term ‘plumbers’ is used in reference to clueless European coaches eager to work for African clubs and countries.
“We need qualified African coaches who are committed to a long-term project, not tourists and/or plumbers.
“There’s a lot that isn’t said when a club releases a press release out of respect for the employee.
“It’s only been a few minutes, and my phone is flooded with European CVs, but not one African coach.
“If we want continental football to do well, we need to mirror what is happening in our big national teams representing us in the World Cup,” Gonzalez responded to journalists.
She further highlighted that for the first time in history, all five African sides that have qualified for the 2022 World Cup will be coached by African coaches.
“Unless club football follows suit, we will remain where we are for a long time,” Gonzalez added.
Zoran Manojlović Fast Facts
- The Serbian mentor turned 60 in July
- He has coached in seven countries – Morocco, Angola, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Algeria, Portugal and Tanzania.
- Manojlović coached three club sides in Angola, including Primeiro de Agosto [between December 2017 and July 2019].
- He guided Primeiro de Agosto to the Caf Champions League semi-final in 2018.
- At Saudi Arabia club Al-Tai, he only lasted 64 days [from 30 August 2021 to 4 November 2021] before being sacked as the club was perched at the basement of the table.
- Manojlović only lasted six months at Moroccan club Wydad AC [July 2019 to January 2020].
- Between 2020 and 2021, he coached four different clubs – Wydad, Al Tai, Al Hilal, and CR Belouizdad.
- At Simba, he spent exactly 57 days.
