COMMENT: Zifa’s Normalisation Committee has let everyone down

THE Zifa Normalisation Committee has been a huge disappointment since it took over the running of football in the country. When the committee was appointed on July 11 last year to take over from Felton Kamambo’s tainted tenure, most football lovers welcomed what they thought marked a new dawn for Zimbabwe’s troubled game.

The Normalisation Committee appointed by Fifa comprises Lincoln Mutasa, as chairman, lawyer Nyasha Sanyamandwe as well as ex-players Sikhumbuzo Ndebele and Rosemary Mugadza. It was the appointment of Mutasa, a former Dynamos chairman and player, as well as former Mighty Warriors captain and coach Mugadza, and former Highlanders star Ndebele which gave people hope that perhaps the inclusion of ex-players would see a shift in the running of the game.

After all, there had been an outcry that ex-players were being sidelined from the running of the beautiful game. It was mistakenly believed that those who had played the game understood what is needed to uplift the state of football.

Little did they know that the inefficiency and incompetence that have been highlighted time and time again will continue to rear their ugly heads, with the senior men’s national team largely bearing the brunt of this mismanagement.

One of the most glaring failures of the Normalisation Committee in its 10 months in charge has been the shambolic preparations of the Warriors’ World Cup qualifiers. It’s no secret that the Warriors have little or no time to prepare for international assignments. This has been the case ever since the Normalisation Committee took over. Right now, two weeks before the Warriors’ next World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho on July 7 and South Africa on July 11, there is still no coach in place. This is unacceptable, to say the least, and a mockery of ex-players in the committee. It’s either they are quiet and just enjoying the perks or their contributions are being ignored outright.

The Normalisation Committee seems to see nothing wrong with the lack of preparation time for the Warriors. Two weeks is hardly enough to prepare for such a crucial assignment. It seems to be oblivious to the fact that the Warriors’ performance affects the entire country. The committee has a responsibility to ensure that the team is well-prepared to have a good chance of doing well.

What’s more, there are rumours that a squad has already been chosen, even though there is no national team technical setup in place. If true, this raises serious questions about the Normalisation Committee’s judgment and integrity. How can a squad be chosen without the input of a coach and technical team? This is a recipe for failure.

It’s now clear that the Normalisation Committee is just as useless as the inept Zifa executive it replaced, if not worse. Its members are incapable of running football in Zimbabwe and their lack of vision and direction is hurting the game.

The Warriors are not the only casualties of their incompetence. Grassroots football has also suffered. The Normalisation Committee has failed to address the issues that plague the lower levels of the game. This includes the lack of infrastructure, resources and development programmes. Instead, members of the committee seem to be more focused on their self-interests.

The honeymoon of the Normalisation Committee’s deception is over, and it’s time for it to be held accountable for its blatant failures. The committee cannot continue to preside over the demise of our beautiful game. The Normalisation Committee has thus far not shown genuine interest in developing football in the country and has instead proven to be a complete disaster.