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IT might have come a little bit late, in the twilight of this ZIFA board’s term of office, but this week, one of them decided to stand like a man.
Faced with either keeping his silence and letting things just flow, or pointing at an anomaly and possibly losing a number of friends, on the board, he chose what was right.
Even if it meant he was likely to be labelled a rebel who had decided to rock the boat by his fellow board members, he decided to find comfort in the truth.
For Sugar Chagonda, this was the defining moment of his stay on the ZIFA board when, against the usual practice, he chose to raise his voice and confront a challenge which his fellow leaders appeared to be ignoring.
Until now, the role of a head of delegation, when it comes to our football teams, on the occasions they travel outside the country, has largely been ceremonial.
Something which those who are entrusted with this role have taken to represent a golden chance for them to add to their air miles, stay in an expensive hotel and visit other countries.
In short, many of them have abused this role to become some sort of tourists, a people who only fly to enjoy the comforts of their foreign destinations, watch some football and return home.
For years, we have seen this role being abused by ZIFA leaders as a payback incentive to those councillors who would have voted them into office.
This means the role had become dysfunctional, since these councillors only go there to have a bit of fun, seeing no evil, hearing no evil and speaking no evil, even on the occasions things didn’t go according to plan.
However, it all changed this week when Chagonda, the ZIFA board member in charge of marketing and competitions, went to Ethiopia as head of the Warriors delegation.
Like a true leader of the pack, Chagonda chose to execute his role with a touch of professionalism, observing any challenges, which our boys faced, and detailing their weaknesses, in this World Cup mission.
No sooner had the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia ended, which our boys lost 0-1, in a shock defeat which could destroy their hopes of a maiden appearance at the global football showcase, did Chagonda get down to business.
He penned a letter to his boss on the board, ZIFA president Felton Kamambo in which he told him what every football fan, in this country, has been talking about, when it comes to our national team.
The message was simple — Zdravko Logarusic simply did not have the competence to be trusted any day longer with taking charge of our flagship football team.
Chagonda was loud and clear that the Croatian’s shortcomings, both technical and tactical, were so glaring he had become the team’s Achilles Heel and was dragging our Warriors down the wrong path.
We have been saying it from day one when he was named as the surprise choice for this huge responsibility that we don’t see anything from his record to suggest he can add any value to our boys.
The fans have also been saying the same thing, but their cries kept on being ignored by the ZIFA board, who were desperate to protect a man of such shocking limitations.
Now, after just one point, and without a goal, in the two World Cup qualifiers, a ZIFA board member has seen what everyone has been talking about.
It’s such frankness which has been lacking in the corridors of our national game’s leadership, where those entrusted with the authority to run it can come forward and accept that they made a mistake.
Chagonda showed the way by ensuring that for the sake of the very game he chose to lead, the time had come to confront the demons that are holding it back.
For the sake of his country, which needs the Warriors to win to cheer its spirits, the time had come to expose Loga for exactly what he was so that remedial action could be taken.
And for the sake of our 2022 World Cup campaign, and 2021 AFCON finals campaign, it was important to relieve Loga of his duties and bring in fresh blood.
When a coach wins a single game in his first 14 matches, it’s failure and any attempt to spin it otherwise will not change the reality that this isn’t what the ZIFA board were hoping for, when they hired Loga.
ZIFA do not own the Warriors, they run the national team on behalf of this country, and when things are not working out, as has been the case lately, they have a duty to find solutions.
Chagonda raised his hand and told his colleagues that they can’t continue defending the impossible and they had to be man enough to deal with their monumental mistake.
We need more of such frank conversations within the ZIFA board.
And, they also have to explain why their vice president, Gift Banda, remains suspended from his post, for more than three years now.
Online Reporter