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From Robson Sharuko in FRANKFURT, Germany
GEORGE MBWANDO says it’s time for those who want to see Zimbabwe football emerging from the sand trap of darkness to “walk the talk” and contribute positively to bring the light that could see the Warriors returning to the Nations Cup finals.The former Zimbabwe international defender was part of the immortal group of Warriors who made an historic appearance at the Nations Cup finals in Tunisia in 2004 after having ended, in the previous year, a barren 33-year search for the ticket to the football festival.
He has been living here in Germany for the past 16 years and has seen the Germans mastermind their own football revival, after years of institutional decline, and believes Zimbabwe can also craft its own revival strategies and help the Warriors return to the Nations Cup fold.
On Thursday night Mbwando donated equipment, including kits, tracksuits and football boots, which he sourced from his old club Ingolstadt, to Albun Soccer Academy, owned by Alois Bunjira, who was part of his teammates at the Nations Cup in Tunisia in 2004.
Mbwando says he was only playing his part, in trying to help the teenage footballers in Chitungwiza, and challenged others to rise beyond just criticism of the Zifa leaders and play a part in turning around the fortunes of the national game.
Mbwando is hoping to establish a formal relationship between Albun and the Ingolstadt junior team, which could see some of the best prospects at the academy coming here for attachments.
“Zimbabwe football is not in a good state right now, we have to call a spade a spade, it’s not a good feeling, we can’t say things are good when they are bad,” said Mbwando.
“We seem to be taking steps backwards. But we can’t fold our arms, we need to do something, come up with new things, new plans, new strategies and, with time, maybe we will be able to bring back the good times to Zimbabwe football.
“Alois did a good thing to try and support the kids and we have to try and support him and I think we can make a huge difference if we come together and move in one direction.
“There are many people who are saying this and that but they are not doing anything and my challenge to them is that this is not the time to criticise others but to walk the talk, like what Alois is doing, and do something for our football.
“I heard that one of the boys a the academy did very well in a tournament in South Africa.
“That is what gave me strength that if I can also help, maybe we might save our football.
“Every journey starts with a few steps and I am happy that Alois is walking the talk.”
Mbwando says he has been in contact with Zifa president Cuthbert Dube to find ways he can help the game back home.
He believes there is need to support those who are running the game rather than concentrate on what they were doing wrong.
“Our tragedy as a nation is that we are experts at criticising and doing nothing to help the situation and this is what has let down our football,” said Mbwando.
“I have always wanted to help and I have a project in Hwange, I have 300 orphans who are having a meal a day because of my project and my dream is to build an orphanage for them, to raise funds for them so that their lives can be better.
“Most of us come from humble backgrounds and we should not forget. Where we came from when we have an opportunity to make a difference and this donation of the equipment is just the beginning and I will try to push and get more for Albun Soccer Academy.
“When Alois told me that he was coming here, I just went to the co-ordinator of the junior sides of the team that I last played for here, Ingolstadt, who are now in the Second Bundesliga and asked if he could help and they gave us this equipment.”
Bunjira, the Albun Academy director, said the equipment would play a big part in their efforts to develop the young footballers at their school of excellence.
“We really appreciate what George has done, he has always been encouraging me, he has donated a lot of stuff to Albun Soccer Academy,” said Bunjira.
“I’m trying to develop youngsters who will represent Zimbabwe in the future and this is going to go a long way to help youngsters realise their dream.”
Bunjira was one of the Chitungwiza stars who were taken at an early age by Polish coach Wieslaw Grabowski in the ‘90s and developed into superb footballers under the Darryn T stable.
His former teammate, Stewart Murisa, is now helping him at Albun, which Bunjira believes, with time, will also produce a group of talented footballers the way Darryn T did.
Online Reporter