AS Roma coach Jose Mourinho urged his Portuguese compatriot —Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito —to apply for the vacant Warriors job, it has emerged.

The Normalisation Committee appointed by FIFA to run the affairs of ZIFA until July next year advertised the vacant Warriors head coach post and August 11 was the deadline for interested candidates to apply.

Ahead of Bosso’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League game against army side Black Rhinos on Sunday, Brito confirmed that he had a conversation with Mourinho regarding the Warriors job and his (Brito’s) handlers had applied for it.

“We know that our manager applied for this job, for the Warriors job and even this week (last week), I received a call from Jose Mourinho because he read something about the possibility of me being one of the next Warriors coach and he gave me the support and he gave me the power to accept the challenge if it comes,” Brito said.

Highlanders have done well under the guidance of the Portuguese gaffer this season.

The Bulawayo giants are five points clear at the summit of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table and are yet to taste defeat.

Many have tipped them to finally end their 17-year league drought.