adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
NEW fissures have emerged in Zifa after the association’s High Performance Committee (HPC) denied reports that they had recommended the sacking of long-serving Mighty Warriors’ coach Rosemary Mugadza and her backroom staff. The HPC recommends and reviews performances of all national soccer teams’ coaches.
Mugadza, her assistant Mebelo Njekwa, goalkeepers’ coach Ndega Matsika and kit manager Fungai Nyamutukwa were booted out of the dugout last week amid claims that they were victims of ongoing Zifa boardroom squabbles.
Mugadza and her staff were accused of picking national team players from clubs affiliated to the league under suspended Zimbabwe Women Football boss Miriam Sibanda.
They were replaced by former Highlanders coach Barry Daka, who was named technical advisor, Inline Academy coach Shadreck Mlauzi as head coach and Tsholotsho assistant coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda as his assistant. Little known Peter Masibero is the new goalkeepers’ coach and former Mighty Warriors’ captain Onai Chingawo replaces Nyamutukwa as kit manager.
Zifa chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze claimed that the HPC had an input in the decision to make the sweeping technical changes to the Mighty Warriors, but Benedict Moyo, an HPC member, dismissed the assertion as untrue.
“For the record, we only asked that she (Mugadza) provides us with her technical report for the games under review. Never at any time did we recommend that she be relieved of her duties. If that decision has been taken then I was certainly not part of it and I know that other members of the committee were not either,” said Moyo, a former Zifa board member and Mighty Warriors coach.
He said the Zifa leadership should leave them out of their petty in-house squabbles that are detriment to the good of the local game.
“If they (Zifa) have issues or wars to fight, they must not involve us, and if the decision to fire that girl (Mugadza) and her crew was taken by the Zifa board, then they must just say so and not drag the committee’s name into this,” said Moyo.
Online Reporter