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OUR football is endowed with brilliant skills but there are ugly incidents that mar the beautiful game.One of the ugly moments was on display at Barbourfields Stadium in the much anticipated Easycall Cup semi-final tie between domestic football’s two biggest rivals Highlanders and Dynamos, and the player at the centre of the madness was none other than the self-styled bad boy of Zimbabwean football Rodrick Mutuma.
To begin with, the Dynamos striker was not supposed to feature in the match at all after being given a four-match ban and $1,500 fine by the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee for charging threateningly at the referee after the final of the Chibuku Super Cup in October.
He had been found guilty of the same offence with his striking partner Takesure Chinyama, but Dynamos chairman Kenny Mubaiwa came out with all guns blazing and threatened to pull out of the tournament in protest over the ruling.
Dynamos felt aggrieved by another punishment by the same committee to midfielder Stephen Alimenda earlier in the season. Alimenda was banned for three games and fined after being found guilty of insulting a Tsholotsho FC female medic. Mubaiwa felt that his team was a target of unfair treatment claiming that other teams and players committed worser offences with impunity.
Mubaiwa must have swallowed his words following Mutuma’s contempt for discipline in his side’s 2-1 defeat to Bosso as he needlessly reacted with a violent kick on substitute Ralph Matema in the 88th minute and was sent off. We wonder if Mubaiwa still feels that his players are being targeted.
It’s very disturbing to note that Mubaiwa did not contest Mutuma and Chinyama’s charges, but that other teams have done worse and gone unpunished. Mutuma has faced disciplinary matters in the past and often got into trouble for his bad behaviour and temperament. He has a history of finding trouble and tends to act impulsively without considering the consequences.
His explosive temper, starting ugly fights and disregard for the rules has blighted his once promising career and also seems to have caused friction with his coach Tonderai Ndiraya.
While his goal scoring prowess makes him near-undroppable, Mutuma’s conduct on the field of play is mostly unprofessional and unbalanced, and Ndiraya could not hide his disgust at his behaviour, which came at a time Dynamos were pressing for a possible equaliser. The Harare giants must be applauded for instituting disciplinary measures against the wayward striker and we hope other teams will do the same against their own bad boys instead of complaining “conspiracy” each time their players have been sanctioned.
It was even more disgusting when Mutuma spat into Matema’s face as he made his way to the dressing room after being given his marching orders and the football authorities must act against such lunacy.
The man just can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble and sadly most of his actions are captured by television cameras and it’s high time the PSL starts clamping down on such bad behaviour as he cannot seem to help himself.
Zifa and the PSL must consider empowering referees to send players off for using offensive, insulting or abusive language and gestures to clean up our game in a bid to force them to address their behaviour. Such punishment would also force clubs to clampdown on it too. Players like Mutuma should know and understand that their actions influence the fans as well as up-and-coming players. Usually such bad behaviour provokes reactions from fans resulting in violence.
The PSL and Zifa must hand down severe sanctions and even consider adopting the English FA’s retrospective action that sees them investigating and punishing unsportsmanlike behaviour missed by the match officials so that we clean up our game.
We are tired of seeing players mobbing referees and this too must be punished. Severe action must also be taken against players that do not leave the pitch immediately after being sent off.
The diplomatic approach which our governing bodies have used to tackle issues of indiscipline has muddied our game and we demand action now against waywardness before local football becomes a game played by hooligans.
Online Reporter