Why Scottland FC is somehow justified fired Norman Mapeza

Norman Mapeza’s departure from Scottland FC may have come as a surprise to some, but the decision can be understood in the context of the club’s expectations when they appointed him.

Mapeza was brought in as a replacement for Tonderai Ndiraya, the coach who had guided Scottland to the 2025 Premier Soccer League title.

The club’s decision to appoint Mapeza was largely influenced by his experience in continental football, with the expectation that he would take the team a step further in the CAF Champions League since hehad been in those terrains on countless occasions.

Mapeza arrived on a lucrative package, which included a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Prado reportedly valued at more than US$100,000, thanks to the late club benefactor Wicknell Chivayo.

However, Mapeza failed to meet the club’s expectations in the African suffering, despite being pumpered with support.

The former Warriors coach was the first local coach to be given luxury by a local club to sign additional players who can only play CAF Champions League assignment as an addition to the squad which was competing in the league, hence he had Nigerian defender Tijan Al-Ameen , Stoffel Witbeen from Namibia.

Scottland’s Champions League campaign ended on Friday after a 3-0 defeat to Angolan giants Petro de Luanda at the 11 November Stadium, a result that overturned the 2-0 advantage Scottland had secured in the first leg at the National Sports Stadium.

The manner of the elimination is likely to have intensified questions within the Scottland boss about Mapeza’s ability to deliver on the continental stage.

In the first preliminary round, Scottland were fortunate to face Eswatini side Nsingizini Hotspurs with the visitors reduced to 10 men after just three minutes.

Despite enjoying a numerical advantage for almost the entire match, Mapeza’s side only managed a narrow 1-0 victory at home before securing a goalless draw away to progress.

The same scenario was repeated against Petro de Luanda at National Sports a fortnight ago.

Petro were reduced to 10 men just 35 seconds into the first leg at the National Sports Stadium, yet Scottland could only manage a 2-0 victory.

That advantage proved insufficient as Petro produced a commanding 3-0 victory in Luanda to send the Zimbabwean champions crashing out of the competition.

The two results had one thing in common, Mapeza had failed to score away in both games , something which is very criticl in CAF Champions League football.

Interestingly, Mapeza’s struggles against Angolan opposition are not new.

During his time at FC Platinum, he faced Angolan opposition twice in the CAF Champions League and failed to progress on both occasions.

In 2018, FC Platinum were eliminated by Primeiro de Agosto in the preliminary round after suffering a 3-0 defeat in Angola before losing 2-1 at home, going out 5-1 on aggregate.

Three years later, Mapeza’s FC Platinum side met GD Sagrada Esperança which knowcked him out 5-4 on penalties , after two goalless draws.

In total, Mapeza has now suffered three eliminations against Angolan opposition in continental competition.

For Scottland, the issue was therefore not simply the 3-0 defeat to Petro de Luanda.

Mapeza was brought in specifically because of his continental experience and with the belief that he could improve on Ndiraya’s achievements.

With Scottland already having secured the domestic title, the Champions League represented the next major test.

His departure may therefore be less about one defeat and more about a wider failure to deliver the continental progress Scottland had invested heavily in and expected from him.

The post Why Scottland FC is somehow justified fired Norman Mapeza appeared first on Soccer24.