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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor—
WARRIORS’ coach Ian Gorowa has made sensational claims that Zifa chief executive, Jonathan Mashingaidze was allegedly always in a drunken state when he interacted with his players and backroom staff during the 2014 CHAN finals in Cape Town this year. It’s the latest fallout in a fiery row between Gorowa and Mashingaidze that has been going on, mainly in the boardroom, since last year but which has now exploded onto the surface and is playing out to a public audience.
Mashingaidze visited the Warriors during their stay in Cape Town, South Africa, at the CHAN finals earlier this year.
Gorowa was angered yesterday when Mashingaidze, in an apparent attack on the coach, told the Chronicle that Zifa were investigating how replica Umbro jerseys for the Warriors were sold in Cape Town, suggesting the gaffer could have had a hidden hand in the sale for his personal profit.
Mashingaidze, who said Zifa could have lost hundreds of thousands of rand through the illegal sale of the replicas, said his association was investigating how the Warriors camp in Cape Town was converted into an “open market for all,” where the priority of the team appeared to divert from trying to win the tournament to the marketing of players for South African Premiership suitors.
“We were taken aback by reports of external forces having had free access to the camp. Security was not tight and that left the boys vulnerable,” Mashingaidze told the Chronicle.
“It appears there was dealing and wheeling in camp with agents meeting players at free will. The boys had divided attention and it is disturbing to hear that there was even a pastor staying with the team.
“Even religious men have to stay away from camp. It is a no-go area because of the sensitivity to issues like match-fixing and a workshop we attended last year was very explicit on such matters. The Warriors were like an open market.
“We need to protect the team and national pride. Our priority was to go and play to win the tournament not to export players. If agents and clubs want our players it should be back home at their respective teams as we do not want fingers pointed at the national team.
“No agent should be seen to be gaining an advantage over others because of his links with us the secretariat, board, assembly or technical team.”
But Gorowa reacted angrily yesterday to the accusations that the Umbro kit deal, which he helped bring to the Warriors on a trial basis, had already been dragged into controversy amid questions of the role he played in the sale of replica jerseys in South Africa.
While Mashingaidze claims that Zifa did not go into bed with any kit manufacturer, which means there was supposed to be no replica jerseys on sale in South Africa, The Herald has obtained official communication between the association and Umbro which clearly shows that the two parties were aware of the issue of replicas.
Mashingaidze even writes, in one of his letters to Umbro, asking them to provide replica jerseys for Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Andrew Langa, and his five-member delegation, to wear during their stay in South Africa watching the Warriors.
Yesterday, Gorowa said he believed that there was a “a war between me and Jonathan but I think he has gone to extremes showing how desperate he is to get back to me,” and the coach claimed that, in return, he will “never stoop so low.”
The Warriors’ coach provided his response and said:
- No agent was allowed near any player, and as a technical team, we even told the players that if you are found talking to an agent we will summon you. We even said after the tournament they can do as they wish.
- My boys were very disciplined and none of that nonsense happened, if anything , the CEO (Mashingaidze) was always drunk and meeting the players in the lobby smelling booze, so he needs to check himself on that.
- I spoke to Jonathan myself and here is what he promised — US$2200 for reaching knock-out stage , US$1000 for quarter-finals, US$ 1500 for reaching semis and the final was supposed to be negotiated, this I got in black and white, and these monies were supposed to be paid as the team progressed. Now, not even a cent was given to the boys except the allowances.
- For someone who really wanted the team to win this CHAN (if indeed he was genuine), the players were upset and I had to pick them up to concentrate with playing, he was there twice, and never addressed the boys regarding his promise.
- I had my church elder who prays for me and the team and I asked permission from him (Mashingaidze) and he said ‘yes.’ Who paid for his travels? I couldn’t have but it was through him (Mashingaidze). My elder even went with us to Zambia and he (Mashingaidze) authorised this again. Now he says he didn’t know about this?
- On replicas, I got an e-mail which Zifa asked for replicas to sell, and Umbro said they can give them at factory price but they have to pay for that so that they can sell, the reason being Umbro had already invested quite a substantial amount in kitting us and would like to recoup some of their money.
- As a coach I even requested for a security before we left and Zifa then forwarded (Lovemore) Marange as security, maybe they should get a report from him. Question is — did he fulfil that (role) and how long did he stay?
“Once again you can see a CEO using all sorts of innuendos, wanting to get back at the coach who has told him the truth about how he is running football as a CEO. Now he wants to paint a picture as if he is concerned, it’s a shame.
“I will not lie down and listen to this rubbish painting a picture of an indisciplined team where anyone was doing what they want, never!”
The fallout has also brought to fore the tensions that have been simmering in camp, during the 2014 CHAN finals, where Gorowa felt abandoned, after repeated requests to try and get assistance from his bosses at Zifa were either not honoured or simply ignored.
Gorowa was forced to write to Zifa president, Cuthbert Dube, in January this year to provide a detailed picture of the challenges he was facing.
“I have now become a beggar where all my calls don’t get answered and the CEO simply refers me to you and you are a busy man. This makes me feel very uncomfortable as you made a promise and I am here trying to do my best for the team and on one hand there is no communication whatsoever regarding my dues.
“I just feel neglected. I have important matches to take care of and I now have to worry about the upkeep, it does not augur well as I really want to focus on the matches to go all the way.
“My coaching staff are not very happy because I made them to sacrifice their match appearance fees in order to give the players their dues, reason being that Zifa sent the appearance fees for 18 players instead of 23 players.”
- Tomorrow The Saturday Herald will carry some of the explosive letters that have flown between Gorowa and Mashingaidze in a bitter boardroom feud that also sucked in some of the board members who provided their input along the way.
Online Reporter