Our boys can do it: Gumbo

Maurice Kambukwe
FORMER Zimbabwe Dream Team legend Tavaka aï¿½?aï¿½?Dreadaï¿½ï¿½aï¿½ï¿½ Gumbo is confident that the squad at the Africa Cup of Nations Gabon will not be affected by lack of preparations and drama that transpired before they left for the tournament.

Gumbo who was the 1993 Soccer Star of The Year said this current crop of players are mature enough to know what it means to serve their country.

A day before they left for Cameroon for a friendly match and later connect to Gabon, the Warriors boycotted a send-off dinner because of a labour disagreement between them and Zifa.

aï¿½?Problems do happen and itaï¿½ï¿½s a good thing it was solved while they were still here and that gave the players enough time to work around their mentality. Nothing will affect the boys going forward because they are mature,aï¿½? said the former Shu-Shine player.

Gumbo, who at some point was part of the Dream Team under the tutelage of Dutch coach, Reinhard Farbisch said while monetary issues seem to be the usual problems in modern football especially in Africa, there were much bigger problems back in the day.

aï¿½?At one point we had to play in Zaire (Democratic Republic of Congo) where there was ebola, we lost the game 4-0 but we played in such dangerous conditions simply for the love of the game,aï¿½? said Gumbo.

Gumboaï¿½ï¿½s sentiments on problems that preceded Warriorsaï¿½ï¿½ preparations as a minute factor that will not affect the whole campaign might have been proven true when the team managed to hold Cameroon to a one-all draw at their backyard.

Zimbabwe go into the continentaï¿½ï¿½s biggest football showpiece with an underdog tag and will be hoping to upset some of the aï¿½?so calledaï¿½? big countries in football. .