Former Zimbabwe national football team captain Benjani Mwaruwari has been offered his first head coaching role by ambitious Premier Soccer League club Ngezi Platinum Stars.
The 43-year-old ex-Manchester City striker is set to be confirmed as the new Ngezi Platinum coach on a four-year deal to replace the sacked Rodwell Dhlakama.
After recently venturing into coaching Mwaruwari had short stints as Warriors assistant coach to Croatian Zdravko Logarusic and Norman Mapeza.
The Ngezi job will be his first head coaching role.
Benjani will be assisted by Bongani Mafu who is currently in charge of Southern Region Soccer League log leaders Hwange.
His former Warriors teammate, midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha will also be part of his backroom staff as team manager.
Takesure Chiragwi who has been in charge of the team on an interim basis since Dhlakama’s departure will be retained as one of the assistants to Mwaruwari.
The former Warriors captain, who hung up his boots in 2014, recently got his UEFA A coaching licence in the United Kingdom.
The UEFA A Licence is one level below the UEFA Pro Licence and allows holders to be head coaches of youth teams up to age 18, reserve teams for top-flight clubs, and men’s professional second-tier clubs.
This badge enables holders to go for the UEFA Pro Licence, which is the highest coaching certification in Europe’s football management.
In a glittering playing career, Mwaruwari featured for Grasshoppers in Switzerland, Auxerre in France, Portsmouth, Manchester City, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League and Jomo Cosmos, Chippa United and Bidvest Wits in the South African top-flight.
His new club Ngezi Platinum Stars are currently fifth on the log standings, four points behind log leaders Chicken Inn whom they face on Saturday at Baobab stadium.