adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
“I think Phillip Chiyangwa and his guys have done fairly well in a difficult environment where sponsors are hard to come by. Since he came into office he has performed beyond expectation.
IN a rare feat for Zimbabwean soccer, the football fraternity was this week unanimous in praising Zifa president, Phillip Chiyangwa and his fairly new board after Warriors’ coach, Callisto Pasuwa received the vehicle and a contract that he was promised before the just-ended Chan finals in Rwanda.
With less than six weeks since acquiring the hot seat at Number 53, Livingstone Avenue in the capital, it appears progress has been the order of the day on a daily basis as Chiyangwa and his men have been grabbing headlines for the right reasons, save for that boob when an announcement to fire the coach was made by vice-president Omega Sibanda.
That the promise to Pasuwa was fulfilled soon after a dismal performance in Rwanda that brought misery and shame to a highly expectant nation left many singing songs of praise for the new board for instilling rare sense of professionalism in domestic football.
At a time it could have been easy to sack Pasuwa or disband the Warriors as has been the norm over the years, Zifa did the right thing and stood by the coach and the team.
Apart from keeping them on board, Zifa went on to fulfil the promises made before the tournament in a commendable show of solidarity to the nation’s flagship football team.
Now that the national team will soon be regrouping for a back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland next month, hopes are high among soccer fans that the Warriors will justify the efforts that Zifa have so far made to improve things for the national team.
Soccer fans interviewed by this newspaper said the national team must now justify the commendable efforts that Zifa have so far made to improve things.
“I think Phillip Chiyangwa and his guys have done fairly well in a difficult environment where sponsors are hard to come by. Since he came into office he has performed beyond expectation.
“Very few believed that Chiyangwa would do things the right, but for now he has gone beyond expectation. It is now up to the team to play well and get the results that we want especially when we are going to face Swaziland in Afcon qualifiers,” said Cuthbert Sithole of Chikanga.
Ngonidzashe Saurombe said the Warriors had no excuse for poor performance.
“Things are being provided for them and they have no reason to bring bad results.
Playing for one’s national must have been motivation enough to get good results and now that the environment has been improved, I think there is every reason for the Warriors to have the decency of giving us better results,” he said.
Anthony Mkwena, a Zimbabwean based in Mozambique, spoke glowingly of Chiyangwa’s performance in office since he took over from the disgraced Cuthbert Dube.
“I think there are a number of good things that we cannot afford to ignore so far in Chiyangwa’s term.
The Chiyangwa-led ZIFA board breathed a new lease of life to various stakeholders who were involved in the Asiagate scandal after removing the imposed sanctions, meaning those previously under sanctions can now participate in various football activities on the domestic scene and abroad.
“Other notable progress milestones already set by Dr Phil include meeting and addressing the players at their training hide out, settling of players’ dues, solving the Pasuwa and Sherrif Mussa saga and giving zifa headquarters a new look.
“I have no doubt that the Chiyangwa – Wicknell combination is not only good for progress sake, but is also bringing the good reputation of football on the domestic scene,” he said.
Online Reporter