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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze has been described as a “habitual liar” by Warriors’ Chan coach Ian Gorowa who refuted claims that he had been offered a contract.
Early this month the Zifa head of secretariat told Chronicle Sport during a tour of the Zifa Village that the football association had offered Gorowa a contract document and was now waiting for the coach to come back to them.
“The contract is already with him but he said he will come back to us after the finals (Chan) so as an association we are waiting for him. If it takes long we might have to remind him,” said Mashingaidze then.
Yesterday Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said there was work in progress towards formalising Gorowa’s contract issue.
“That is work in progress, we are negotiating with him and hopefully everything will be sorted out sooner than later,” claimed Gwesela.
However, it has since emerged that no contract offer was extended to the former Black Rhinos and Dynamos player with Gorowa saying Zifa should not try to look good in the eyes of the nation through manipulating his name.
“Zifa has offered nothing up to now, they should desist from trying to look good in the eyes of the nation by manipulating my name,” said Gorowa.
Told that Mashingaidze said a contract had been given to him, Gorowa said:
“That man is a habitual liar, tell him I said that and see what he does. I want to give back to my country but you can only do that to people who understand what football administration is all about. Right now, even without a contract I have been engaging Zifa to try and take advantage of the March 5 Fifa calendar day to have an international friendly but to no avail.”
In an interview done with African Football Media and published by the world soccer motherbody Fifa last week, Gorowa claims he forgoes his pay solely for the love of his job while he also remains committed to taking Zimbabwean football to its rightful place on the world stage.
Even though he did not name Zifa by name, the former Dynamos, Black Rhinos and now defunct Cape Town Spurs striker said it was one thing for those running football in the country to say there was no money yet there was also no professionalism at all.
Said Gorowa:
“The mindset of the people who are running the sport within our country also has to change. They have to think big. It is one thing to say there is no money but then there is no professionalism. We know there is no money, but I think whatever approach you have, it has to be professional. One thing we need to do is to create a professional atmosphere, regardless of the resources that are available.”
In a move that most likely proves the former Mamelodi Sundowns stand in coach might not be prepared to work with the present Zifa regime, Gorowa said even if a contract document was drafted, it would be difficult to append his signature because of monetary issues.
He said since taking over the Warriors job from Klaus-Dieter Pagels in July last year, Zifa has failed to honour even a single part of the contractual obligation.
“It was a gentleman’s agreement, yes, but they still failed to honour any part of that. Zifa has no money to pay a coach. I have been getting an upkeep token from Dube (Cuthbert, Zifa president) but that stopped in November last year,” said Gorowa.
Online Reporter