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THE Zimbabwe football family was plunged into mourning after the Warriors were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations preliminary round qualifiers by Tanzania on Sunday.A dour 2-2 draw saw the Tanzanians progress to the next stage having carried a slender 1-0 lead from the first leg in Dar es Salaam a fortnight ago.
Once again the Warriors have conspired to leave their multitudes of fans with yet another heartache. Odds appeared high for the senior national team to turn the tables at home after the slim loss away in Tanzania.
It would be folly to take Tanzania as lightweights anymore. Over the years they have invested in a development programme that appears to be bearing fruit. A number of their players are attracting interest in rich African countries and Europe.
So their progression into the next stage of the tournament in which they will face Mozambique was not an accident. The result threw into perspective the calibre of Zimbabwean football administrators, coaches and players.
Perhaps we have built our reputation on fluke results and not on well-calculated development programmes. Success in the continent for any sport is not an accident.
One has to prepare to succeed. This takes time as it is an exercise determined by a number of factors – administration, support infrastructure, coaches and playing material.
Can Zimbabwe achieve under a Zifa board that appears to have no clues about what has to be done to achieve?
With players who behave like mercenaries who go on strike at the lightest opportunity? Certainly not. The industrial action barely 32 hours before the game was destructive for the nation and the clueless footballers.
That is where the plot was lost. They went onto the field not psychologically ready for the challenge. Their minds were miles away whereas a win would have guaranteed more matches and even better perks.
Dutifully, Zifa boss Cuthbert Dube had assured them of better pickings if they had qualified.
But for the players to hold Zifa to ransom at the 11th hour is a sure sign that there is no more trust between the two parties. It is therefore necessary to take corrective measures going forward.
First and foremost Zifa need to devise a system of monitoring players in and outside the country. Over the years we have noted that average players have been given the opportunity to don the Warriors jersey.
Even well documented flops in the South African league and others in Europe have been called up by national coaches to revive their careers. The national team is not a project but a national treasure for whom pride and honour are demanded of those fortunate enough to be selected. They have to exhibit the highest levels of professionalism.
Zifa should be serious in their approach in the future. There were no friendly matches for the Warriors in the run up to this match.
Tanzania played Malawi twice. In-house squabbles in the association saw the Warriors technical team fail to send Mkhuphali Masuku on a spying mission to Malawi.
As if that was not enough, he did not even go to Tanzania for the first leg. Instead, Zifa saw wisdom in travelling with two goalkeepers’ trainers in Gift Muzadzi and Richard Tswatswa.
Zifa have well-documented financial problems. They can only do so much. Due to the lack of good funding and clear cut national team policy, Zimbabwe will remain a laughing stock on the international football arena.
Expectations are always high in football because it is the national number one sport.
With the Under-17 and 20s like the Warriors crashing out of competitions, it’s time for self-introspection for Dube and chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze and the under-achieving long serving councillors.
What would they say they have achieved in their five years at the helm? Regional games and trips to have a look at talent outside the country should be a routine thing at all levels.
Warriors coach Ian Gorowa has to be commended for travelling around the country on scouting missions, something that other coaches never did.
His choice of players and opting to dance to football politicians’ call for younger players has plunged us into this mess. In October 2012 when we lost to Angola, a more competitive team, there were calls for young blood to take over.
Egypt has relied on experience. Logic would have dictated that for team balance, Gorowa should have opted for experience and probably picked Washington Arubi to start and captain the Warriors. With the whole defence having less than 30 caps combined, the result did not come as a surprise. Waal Gomaa of Egypt has close to 120 caps. There is no substitute for experience and no experiments to a good result.
A big challenge really awaits Dube and his team in the next three years. The Warriors will be back in business in 2016 bidding for the 2017 Nations Cup finals place.
Zimbabweans across all walks of life can make life better for Zifa by contributing financially to the national association so that they do not use lack of support as an excuse.
derick.khumalo