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SO, the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), often known for a slew of financial problems are in a rare good space by their standards.
In fact, they have literally been in that space for the last three years since the world football governing body FIFA availed to them relief funds to kick-start the national game following the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
But as is now common knowledge Felton Kamambo and his leadership who were in charge at ZIFA messed up and failed to utilise the Covid-19 relief funds to revive local football, especially the women’s and youth games that have suffered from neglect and non-investment.
And when Kamambo’s board eventually crossed paths with both the Government and the ZIFA Congress that also resolved to revoke their mandate, FIFA later took over Zimbabwean football in a more direct way.
The Zurich-based international federation lifted their suspension on Zimbabwe in July last year and installed a Normalisation Committee at ZIFA led by Lincoln Mutasa.
FIFA have during the tenure of the Normalisation Committee been bankrolling ZIFA’s operations releasing US$100 000 for administration of the national game.
Although the term of the Normalisation Committee ends in January 2025, it is FIFA who for the next two years will cater for the salaries of the national senior men’s and women’s coaches, which means Mutasa will not have to worry about where German coach Michael Nees’ perks will be coming from.
ZIFA will also not have to worry about payment of the Mighty Warriors coach when they choose to unveil their candidate for the job.
It is with the help of FIFA funding that ZIFA have been able to smoothly go about their business without even reports of player strikes over bonuses.
Now, as Zimbabweans anticipate with a degree of optimism to the start of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, ZIFA must look at the campaign with a huge degree of realism
We believe that ZIFA must make the most of the FIFA goodwill which the association is enjoying from their international federation to put in place systems that will ensure success on the field beyond the tenure of the Normalisation Committee.
While there is a huge wave of expectations on the Warriors to post good results in their upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Kenya and Cameroon in Uganda, ZIFA must prepare for football life beyond those qualifiers.
It is refreshing to note that a group of academies have taken the initiative to develop football in the country.
Thus, more emphasis must also be put on the CAF Schools football competitions and the revival of ZIFA junior leagues using FIFA resources.
ZIFA need to recognise and augment what the academies are already doing, seek more training equipment from FIFA and ask for resources to capacitate junior coaches who have the mammoth task of identifying the new generation of the Moses Chungas, Peter Ndlovu, George Shaya, Vitalis Takawira, Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat and Japhet Mparutsa.
A sound junior programme and policy was the bedrock on which even the famed Dream Team was founded.
Yes, today Nees can take some shortcuts by recalling the likes of Billiat from retirement but ultimately a sustainable Warriors project must be built by investing the FIFA funds into new talent.
This will help Zimbabwe avoid being mere participants at the AFCON tournaments and to actually aim for the podium.
There are no shortcuts to development in any sport.
And Zimbabwe football needs development beyond the life of the Normalisation Committee and for other investors to come on board, ZIFA must lead the way in the manner they channel the resources they get from FIFA and CAF.
Investment in junior development will also mean young talent is not lost to such social vices as substance and drug abuse, crime and early marriages.
For the next few months of the AFCON qualifiers, the focus might be on the Warriors but it must be noted that nothing beats a well-crafted strategy on Long Term Athlete Development.
The results from the upcoming qualifiers are short-term and aimed at appeasing fans.
We believe that short-termism is a fans disease. It forces realities to be denied.
Hence, we seem to be going back to the same worn-out drawing board after every failed campaign.
There is also a need for the entire nation to rally behind ZIFA and the Warriors but as they say, charity begins at home and the sooner the association gets their priorities and strategies right, the better it is for the future of the domestic game and the sustenance of all the national teams’ men and women.
Pulling in the same direction means we need to celebrate together when we succeed and well collectively take responsibility where we would have faltered.
It is a long-term project to succeed but is not an insurmountable task.
Online Reporter