DUBE HAILS ZIFA BOARD

Blessing Malinganiza

CUTHBERT Dube has saluted the ZIFA board saying they deserve a place in football’s Hall of Fame.

He said this after ZIFA acting president, Gift Banda, and his board members paid a courtesy call at his residency in Harare.

Banda and his board have also met Youth, Sport, Recreation and Culture Minister, Kirsty Coventry, and the Sports Commission leaders.

“I think you will go into the Hall of Fame as the first board that has decided to call upon past leaders of football,” said Dube.

“This is commendable.

“I didn’t do it, I never thought about it and, quite honestly, the issue that you are now trying to get all the past football leaders together, is highly appreciated.

“My team Manchester United, and in almost all the matches that they play, Sir Alex Ferguson is there.

“They have said, you built up a name for us, so you must always come to our matches.

“I don’t know whether they pay for him or what but I suppose it’s one of the complimentary things that is done for past leaders.”

He added:

“So, president (Banda) and your board members, you have done well. You have started well.

“This attitude of fighting each other, people must learn to be humble, to swallow their pride, forget the past, even the Bible talks of reconciliation.

“You must continue on this trajectory.

“Most of the football leadership in our region, those that were there yesterday and those in office, are always fighting, they don’t talk to each other.

“But, we must learn to engage. It is important because all we can do is to strengthen football.”

Dube said he understood why the country was not playing international football at the moment.

“I know we are crying at the moment because we are not playing AFCON and CHAN qualifiers but there is always a season for everything.”

“The people of this country, I know we are football fanatics but let’s try to rebuild it.

“We have failed but try to make sure that when the right moment comes, you will have a great football nation once again.

“We have got the talent, there is no doubt about it.

“I hope potential sponsors are actually seeing and appreciating what you are doing as a board because sponsors come on board where there is peace and unity.

“Where there are fights, especially against those that feed you, there is a problem because they will desert you one by one.

“And when they leave you, mostly they go silently.”

Banda says it’s part of his grand plans to mend bridges with the past executives.

“I want to reiterate what I have been saying before, that we have always seen it fit to mend bridges with the leaders that served before us.

“We want to bring them on board, in an advisory role, so that they come in when we go astray.

“We had a very fruitful meeting with Dube.

“I worked with him for quite a very long time and I know he always meant well.”