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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS head coach Ian Gorowa and his assistant Callisto Pasuwa were allegedly involved in a “boxing match” just before the national team’s preliminary round first leg encounter that Zimbabwe lost 0-1 to Tanzania, it has emerged. According to very close sources, the scuffle, which was over the choice of who was to start between Washington Arubi and George Chigova, happened in the dressing room moments before the crucial encounter whose result will live to haunt the entire nation for a long time.
Gorowa, said the source, wanted the big Dynamos shotstopper to start ahead of Arubi while Pasuwa and the rest of the technical team members of co-goalkeepers’ coaches Richard Tswatswa and Gift Muzadzi preferred Arubi.
“As the misunderstanding heated up, Gorowa bust up and told Pasuwa that he (Pasuwa) was clueless about football before head butting him,” said the source.
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela professed ignorance over the scuffle before referring further questions to the “two adults” who he said should speak for themselves.
He also said he was yet to see the head of delegation’s report.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Gorowa and Pasuwa were fruitless as the South Africa-based Warriors coach’s number was not going through while Pasuwa was not answering his mobile phone, so was manager Sharif Mussa’s.
Meanwhile, Zifa has issued a public apology following the dismal show by the senior team on Sunday.
“The Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) would like to apologise to the football fraternity and the nation at large for the dismal performance displayed by the Warriors in our 2015 Afcon campaign. This disappointing performance brought our 2015 Afcon dream to an abrupt end.
As Zifa, we were optimistic that the Warriors would proceed to the group stages and go on to qualify for 2015 Afcon finals, but it was to no avail,” said Zifa in a statement released by Gwesela yesterday.
“Going forward, we are drawing up a long term plan that will guide us to the 2014 Cosafa tournament, 2016 Chan, 2017 Afcon and 2018 World Cup,” said Zifa.
It is said they have already put in place a high performance technical committee that will meet the coach. A detailed report with recommendations will be produced and the board will inevitably implement those recommendations.
Gwesela however refused to name the members of the committee, whose previous head was Bennedict Moyo, a former Zifa board member.
“As the football motherbody we are in the process of promoting vibrant programmes for grassroots, the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 for both men and women,” said the Zifa statement.
The Under-17s and Under-20s remain banned after the two representative junior sides failed to fulfil their African Youth Cup fixtures in 2012 under the Cuthbert Dube led board.
derick.khumalo