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Cape Town - A matter of six weeks ago it was widely suggested that Gordon Igesund, the PSL's most successful coach with four Premier League titles to his credit with four different clubs, was poised to become Zambia's new national coach.
Since then, instead of the deal being concluded, a deafening silence emerged regarding what had been suggested was close to a done deal.
Now, in a development more curious even than SAFA's handling of the Bafana Bafana situation, the Zambian FA on Tuesday announced the appointment of former Kaizer Chiefs striker Wedson Nyirenda as both the assistant and acting coach, while remaining mum on a permanent choice for the pivotal coaching post.
Igesund, for his part, has lately been as difficult to contact as the elusive Hollywood actress, Greta Garbo was in her heyday, while the normally flamboyant coach's agent, Mike Makaab, has been as equally evasive and noncommittal.
And, apart for anything else, the Zambian coaching position might not at this moment appear as attractive as it initially seemed, with the job, in fact, taking on the guise of a poisoned chalice for anyone who will eventually take it on.
The reason? The first task of the new Zambian coach will be to guide the national team to success in the coming 2018 World Cup qualifiers - with Zambia engulfed in what could rightly be termed a "Group of Death", with the three other teams competing for one place in Russia consisting of Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon.
Indeed Zambia's opening World Cup qualifying game in little more than three weeks is against Nigeria - not an ideal time for the new coach to take over.
Makaab, however, says Igesund's discussions with the Zambian Football Federation are still in the pipeline and that only political complications related to the country's elections may have delayed finality.
Also an outbreak of fresh rumours on Wednesday suggested that Igesund remained the favoured choice of the Zambian FA, although other candidates mentioned, who include Frenchman Sebastien Desabre, Croatian Goran Stevanovic and Swiss Raoul Savoy, are also under the microscope.
As for Igesund, like the fabled Brer Rabbit, he is saying “nuffin".
