Editorial Comment: Next month could define Loga’s fate

FOR Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic, the next month could define his stint at the helm of our senior national football team.

The Croat is a man, who has deeply divided the domestic football family since he was controversially picked to lead the Warriors.

There is a group which doubted his pedigree from the word go, arguing his profile was too lightweight to make them believe he could add any value to the team.

With the highlight of his CV being taking Sudan to the third place at the 2016 CHAN finals, Loga didn’t appear, on face value, they argued the coach didn’t have the experience to take the Warriors to the next level.

The poor results which have followed, including finishing bottom at both the CHAN finals and COSAFA Cup this year, have only given more ammunition to this group who doubted Loga from the word go.

Then, there is the other group who argue the coach should be given a benefit of doubt because judging him by the results from the CHAN finals and COSAFA Cup, is unfair.

They point to the fact Loga was always up against it in the two tournaments, because of the suspension of domestic football activities since March last year when the Covid-19 pandemic hit us.

Even though the Chibuku Super Cup has been played in fits and starts, it hasn’t been for a prolonged period to give the home-based players the time they need to play at their level best.

With all of the CHAN players being drawn from the inactive local league, and most of the COSAFA Cup players also coming from there, Loga’s supporters argue the coach was always fighting a losing battle.

In such a scenario, they claim, it was always going to be virtually impossible for Loga, and even any coach for that matter, to come back with some positive results.

They also argue when he needed results, as in the case against Algeria at home, and the victory over Botswana in Francistown, Loga delivered on both fronts and took his team to the next AFCON finals. Given he was largely brought in to try and improve the Warriors’ performance at the Nations Cup finals, where they have fallen in the group stages in their four appearances, Loga’s supporters say he should be judged by how his team performs in Cameroon.

But, it’s very clear, the two 2022 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Ethiopia next month could define whether he will eventually get to Cameroon, in the first place.

Bafana Bafana, just like Chipolopolo, are our biggest rivals and a poor result at home will raise the heat for Loga, especially from those who feel he is out of depth at this level of the game.

A defeat against Ethiopia away will then possibly find Loga, and his employers at ZIFA, who have stuck with him despite a raging wave of disapproval from a big constituency of domestic football, with very little defence, to keep clinging on to, as to why the results have been poor.

After all, the majority of the players he is likely to field, in those two matches, are either about to, or have already plunged, into action, at their foreign clubs.

Central defender Teenage Hadebe has played about five matches for this United States Major League side Houston Dynamo in the new season.

Midfielder Marshall Munetsi featured for his French Ligue 1 club, Stade Reims, in their opening draw against Nice last weekend.

He could make his second appearance of the new season this weekend while Tino Kadewere could get a run after being an unused substitute in the first match.

Captain Knowledge Musona is set to make his debut for his new Saudi club while key midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is set to anchor the Aston Villa midfield in their opening match in the English Premiership against Watford.

Then, we have a big group of players, based in South Africa, who are plunging back into action this weekend.

Loga conceded the return to action of his key players has brightened his mood because they will get the edge, which only can be picked, from playing in competitive matches.

We have to try and beat both Bafana Bafana and Ethiopia and build a strong foundation to try and qualify for the World Cup, for the first time.

There is no need for us not to dream big, after all we have been to the last three AFCON finals, and the South Africans have missed two of those tournaments.

This means we have been playing at a level where we can fancy our chances of beating them, when we meet in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, if we play to our full potential. 

But, the big question is, will we ever play at our full potential, under Loga?

His critics will continue to sing the song that the Croat is not good enough to take us to the next level and qualifying for the next AFCON finals, after just picking four points, from a possible 12, in his four matches in charge of the Warriors, justifies their pessimism.

After all, it’s a tournament where three local coaches — Sunday Chidzambwa (twice), Charles Mhlauri and Callisto Pasuwa — have already taken us to, on four occasions, in the past.

Loga knows the time for him to keep giving us excuses is over, he simply has to start delivering, and the two World Cup qualifiers, next month, could be decisive for him.