Don’t cry over spilt milk, says Buffaloes coach

crying over spilt milk.
Zimbabwe failed to defend a healthy 3-1 lead from the first leg at Rufaro and crumbled to a brace by Angolan striker Manucho.
The underrated coach, who has guided Buffaloes to a good position on the current Castle Lager Premiership standings, believes Zifa should genuinely work out structures that ensure success at future events.
“It is painful that the national team was defeated.
“There were a lot of expectations for the team but unfortunately they failed.
“Anywhere that’s football and we have to move ahead,” said Chaminuka.
Zifa, Chaminuka said, should create a conveyor belt that channels players from the grassroots, through to the juniors until they play for the senior national team.
“I think now we need to look at the junior team and see how they are sustained.
“We should pursue and monitor the talent identified until we have the crop of players for the senior national team.
“Players who formed the Under-17 team six years ago should now be forming the core of the Under-23 and being on the verge of getting into senior team.
“But if we look at our Under-17 and Under-20 teams from three years ago, there are no longer together.
“Next time we want to play a tournament we have to start and build a new squad again.
“I think there is need to have cohesion and introduce regular training camps so that the players understand each other,” said Chaminuka.
His sentiments were identical to Warriors’ assistant coach Peter Ndlovu who said Zifa should put structures that ensure the Young Warriors graduate into the senior team.
Chaminuka said the system of tracking players from the junior team has worked before.
“If we look at the Dream Team assembled by Fabisch, we will find that some of the players had been together in the Young Warriors squad,” said Chaminuka
Peter Ndlovu, Adam Ndlovu, Agent Sawu, Benjamin Nkonjera (late), Karim Abdul Karim and Vitalis Takawira went on to play for the Warriors after having featured as the Young Warriors.
“I hope the executive will support the junior coaches with resources so that the programmes are a success.
“We have to learn from the Dream Team that had a solid base from the Under-23s,” said Chaminuka.
But away from the Warriors’ debacle, Chaminuka said his side are ready to play CAPS United in a Mbada Diamonds Cup quarter final match at Gibo tomorrow.
“We had not been playing matches because of the national team but we never stopped practising.
“In Europe, when the nation teams play on a weekend, mid-week game are arranged so that the progress of the players are not disturbed.
“I just hope that my players are still sharp,” he said.
Buffaloes were playing in the Zifa Eastern Region Division One last season their coach believes they will be in familiar territory in Gibo.
CAPS United left for Chiredzi yesterday.