Four coaches face date of destiny

Four coaches of contrasting demeanours and philosophies, not to mention backgrounds and appearances, face a date with destiny this weekend when the Azam Federation Cup rolls into the semi-finals.

At the National Stadium tomorrow, a man who guided Congo Brazzaville’s AC Leopards to the CAF Confederation Cup triumph in 2012, meets a middle-aged man who began his managerial career in Morocco with Raja Casablanca, as Simba take on Azam FC.

Cameroonian coach Joseph Omog, 46, will pit his vast tactical acumen and years of experience against a Romanian tactician, who took charge of the Chamazi-based team four months ago,

AC Leopards, popularly known as The Beasts from Niari, had never won a trophy for 30 years, but under the tutelage of Omog, they stunned Mali’s Djoliba 4-3 on aggregate to snatch the coveted trophy.

He also guided the team to two consecutive Congo Premier League victories in 2012 and 2013.

Cioabă began his managerial career with Raja Casablanca in Morocco, where he worked as an assistant for Alexandru Moldovan in the 2005–06 season.

The Romanian has signed a six-month contract, suggesting his long stay at the club would depend how he steers the ice cream makers in the Mainland Premier League and Federation Cup.

Not winning enough games in the Mainland Premier League is not the best way to keep a job, but that’s exactly what Cioabă’s predecessor Zeben Hernandez did.

Under the Spanish coach (Hernandez) Azam lost a number of matches in the first round of the elite league and you can guess what happened next.

This means the Romanian, who is assisted by Tanzanian coaches Idd Cheche and Idd Abubakar, will seek to get the best out of the tournament, which decides the country’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup.

On Sunday, at the CCM Kirumba in Mwanza, where Young Africans command a huge following, it will be George Lwandamina against Etienne Ndayiragije when the Jangwani Street boys face hosts Mbao FC. It is a clash between a man who guided Zambia’s Under-20 team to the semi-finals of the Africa Youth Championship and subsequent qualification to the World Youth Cup in Canada where they reached the round of 16, against a little known but focused coach.

“Our two goals have been to avoid relegation in the Premier League and reach the final of the Azam Federation Cup to show that our qualification to the topflight,” Ndayiragijye said yesterday.

“This is our biggest chance to do this for years,” the former Vital’O (Burundi) head coach said yesterday.

Local coaches have not really held their own when it comes to the Mainland Premier League, but having none in the semi-finals of this year’s FA Cup shows a new low.