The Big Warriors’ Debate

Zimbabwean fans struggling to adjust to the reality that their team now has a huge mountain to climb in its bid to qualify for the 2012 Nations Cup finals.
The Herald traced Facebook conversations involving the Warriors’ fans on Saturday night after confirmation emerged from Bamako that Zimbabwe had lost 0-1.
Here are some of the views:
Lovemore Akwa Muchazondida Muhamba – There were lots of shortfalls in this campaign. We were not pro-active in appointing a substantive coach before the campaign, financial issues and injuries to some keys players. I don’t think blaming Mapeza would solve the problem.
A loss will always bring criticism but the scoreline is fair and chances of qualifying still remain the same and don’t forget that Mali and Cape Verde will have losses as well.
Munetsi Mugove – You can’t win matches with average players, let alone an average coach.
Tendai Chawasema – Guys I am based in Malawi and every time they play soccer with passion and love for their country and not those money mongers, who want allowances only. So what’s the excuse now? We have the strikers and what is needed is to give the coach enough time with the team. Mapeza is less than two months on the job as coach and we were on a five-month break looking for a coach while others were coaching their teams.
Elias Malikebo – It’s high time everyone takes the blame, from the supporters up to the Zifa board because we failed from the start and one thing that troubles me is why do rugby, cricket and golf have so many sponsors yet we struggle to have one for our beloved football?
Remember what Cuthbert Dube promised when he came into office and the media supported him, even Sharuko at the expense of (Lesley) Gwindi.
Lazzie Hacha – @Elias, Who do you think want to sponsor soccer if people can come out and say yes we fixed matches in Asia and so forth? Football here in Zimbabwe is corrupt. Dube might be trying but I don’t see him lasting the distance by sponsoring this team from his pockets like is the case right now.
Braiden Mufuka – The nature of this format is you fight for, at least, a draw away from home and make sure you get maximum points at home.
When the draw of this group was made, Mali and Zimbabwe were the top seeds, a draw in Liberia was not bad but the draw at home to Cape Verde was not good but that was not Mapeza’s fault alone.
If we had beaten Cape Verde, the away defeat in Mali wouldn’t have felt this painful because every Zimbo, in their right senses, were expecting the defeat anyway although hoping for a better result.
Ebenezer Makuvaza – Please guys, the problem iri pana Sharuko. Just before the match, they raise our expectations, interviewing players who do not know what they are saying but are just happy to face the camera, writing baseless analysis of Zim/Mali game yet vanenge vachinyatsoziva havo kuti kumaWarriors husiku, hapana chinobuda. They raise our expectations such that tenge takutarisira kuhwina chete, tikadyiwa zvotirwadza manje. Come on Sharuko, be realistic!
Lazzie Hacha – @Tendai, Norman took charge of first game, the second game was inclusive and he was involved, the third game he was in total control. You can’t tell me he didn’t have enough time, that’s the nature of the job. He should face the music.
Ebenezer Makuvaza – We have the arsenal to win any match but takadhakwa, coach akadhakwa strategy, Zifa yakadhakwa administration, masupporters akadhakwa futi.
Elias Malikebo – @Lazzie. Let’s take a cue from Botswana, they went through this phase but look at where they are right now.
They won today and qualified and we need a fresh football leadership, maybe former players should lead football in Zimbabwe.
Paddy Matashu – I said it, Norman is just a useless piece of meat. So we mean to say we have failed to get a better coach than Norman. He has no history of achievement at all. We will never progress, we should have left him in the dustbin when he resigned but we keep begging him to be coach for what? I totally blame the coach.
We have the talent, no doubt about it, so where is the problem? I doubt if it’s because Zifa is broke. The boys need direction and co-ordination. We lose games because the coach is useless. He has no good history at senior level.
Moment Chirova – Whatever you are saying guys is baseless. Tough luck Warriors, we expected this result though we wanted you to win.
Braiden Mufuka – @ Moment, I think uri munhu webhora kwete vana Matashu vangori emotional zvemahara bhora racho vasingazivi. Yeah, maZimbo takadhakwa, we are like the English who think a midfield with Lampard, Gerrard, Milner can win them the World Cup. I am trying to say let us be realistic.
Jeremiah Mungwara – Ha imi guys, just imagine the guys only trained as a whole team Friday makambozvionepi, because from Monday and Tuesday vanhu vaipinda mucamp, Wednesday and Thursday they were traveling, the coach isn’t to blame rather it’s Zifa.
Paddy Matashu – In football, we judge the coach by results, the problem is not allowances or money but the mentor. Basa racoach kudiii nhai varume? This time around the Board is well, they are doing their best.
Masimba Nyakujara – It’s a respectable result considering that we were playing away and playing against a Mali team whose players play professional football in top European leagues while the bulk of our players are playing here and there in South Africa and losing by just one goal is a good result by our standards. Inga kana Barcelona inombodyiwawo wani.
Lazzie Hacha – @Jeremiah, If we take that approach then we are doomed. We want results. What we are saying is that the coach worked with these players before and the players have been playing for their clubs and so he was supposed to know and what to expect from them. At national level you don’t have all the time in the world to experiment.
Evans Dzimba – Patimire pakaoma.
Masimba Nyakujara – @Matashu, Let us be very honest with ourselves.
Talent rebhora hatina but tinorida bhora kupfuura vanorigona saka tinozvifadza nenhema tichitti tine talent. Just how many of our players are playing in competitive leagues in Europe? Zero! Saka hatingazvienzanise naana Mali vane maplayers anotamba muUefa Champions League, kudyiwa 1-0 ndiyo win yedu.
William Mpasu – It’s unfortunate we lost but it’s been the norm with successive teams.
The best we have done is draw, remember the loss to Seychelles a while ago and the 0-3 defeat we suffered in Conakry under Fabisch?
Needless to say Nomara, just like Madinda before him, has to be given support because the war is still to be won even after losing this battle.
Fortune Madhuku – Norman ndiye adii zvake. We lost it when we drew at home to Cape Verde and the draw away to Liberia was also not good enough. The Mali game was always going to be difficult and a 1-0 loss is not bad even when goal difference becomes important at the end.
Last Maonga – We had no chance in Mali, it’s one of the African heavyweights. We were playing in Bamako, remember.
l The debate continues tomorrow