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Dube was away on holiday in Europe when Zifa recorded a new low by struggling to organise a bus to take the Warriors for their clash against African Cup of Nations-bound Botswana last Saturday.
The depleted Warriors battled to a goalless draw against the Zebras at the University of Botswana ground with Dynamos goalkeeper Washington Arubi making a string of saves to thwart the hosts’ efforts.
Although the result may have masked the chaos that preceded their trip, the events that characterised the Warriors’ preparations and subsequent last-minute journey to Gaborone, the chaos did not go down well with Dube.
The Zifa president returned home on the same day that the senior team was in action against the Zebras.
Before they struggled to secure a bus, the Warriors’ call-up of players was also chaotic with none of the 16 foreign-based players who had been included in the squad turned up for duty.
The players each offered different excuses largely centred on their reluctance to make the 19-hour trip to Gaborone by road.
There were also indications that requests for their releases from their various clubs had been sent late.
A disappointed Dube wasted no time in reading the riot act to his association and yesterday demanded a full report of what transpired.
Dube wants Zifa to turn on a new leaf that would in turn help the beleaguered local soccer mother body to lure corporate partners.
The Harare business executive has spent a fortune bailing out the association even before he became president.
But the Zifa boss noted that what characterised the Warriors’ trip to Botswana not only made sad reading but left a huge dent on the association’s image.
Dube reckoned that the Warriors would not have struggled to get a bus had he been around but insisted that efforts to clean up Zifa and avoid the chaos that marred the senior team’s camp “should not be left to one man alone”.
“I was very, very disappointed to hear of the problems that rocked our team’s preparations for the trip to Botswana.
“I have since asked for reports from both the secretariat and the Warriors’ technical team because we have to avoid such embarrassing situations.
“Obviously if I was around I would not have let things get to such a bad level but then again the question to ask is Zifa all about its president? I have said time and again that it is not sustainable for an individual to
always fund Zifa’s operations, we need government and corporate sector support.
“In fact all our national teams desperately need corporate sponsorship if we are to successfully campaign for places at the 2013 African Cup of Nations and the CHAN to be held in South Africa and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
“This is a national association and it needs everyone’s contribution and help for it to succeed, it is not a private entity and its failure should not be viewed as Cuthbert Dube’s failure alone but failure by the nation,” Dube said.
Dube also met with Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze and Warriors’ coach Norman Mapeza to register his displeasure on the events that preceded the national team’s trip and establish what had caused the problems.
He is also expected to read another riot act to a board that appears to have terribly let him down when they convene for their first indaba of 2012.
The Zifa boss last month revealed that he had through his family business Buymore investments, spent over US$550 000 in helping the association and this included paying for Mapeza’s upkeep, the salaries of the staff at the secretariat and crucially flying the Warriors during their failed 2012 Nations Cup qualifying bid.
But questions have inevitably been asked as to the role of the other board members on the 13-member Zifa leadership if they cannot organise a road trip for the national team in the absence of the president.
In contrast Women’s Football boss Mavis Gumbo has gone out of her way to ensure that the Mighty Warriors fulfill their commitments without leaning heavily on the cash-strapped Zifa.
The Mighty Warriors are scheduled to fly out today to Gaborone for their African Women’s Championship preliminary round tie against Botswana on Saturday, thanks largely to their leader Gumbo who has been running around to ensure their travel would be smooth.
That Zifa had to turn to Mimosa Mining Company at the 11th hour for funding to hire the bus that took the Warriors to Gaborone is also a sad indictment on the association’s board members who should be leading the way in sourcing corporate support.
Mimosa Mining Company, owners of Premiership side FC Platinum paid US$10 000 last week to help Zifa and enable the Warriors to travel to Gaborone.
Dube also felt that it would not have been right for the Warriors to cancel the trip at the lastminute given the assurances that had been given to the Botswana Football Association that the senior team would help the Zebras in their preparations for the Nations Cup finals.
Online Reporter