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The Warriors were yesterday bundled out of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations by Tanzania after putting up a poor show against the East Africans.Despite scoring early into the match, the team’s world crumbled around them when they were forced to a 2-2 draw and ultimately 2-3 aggregate loss to bow out of the tournament.
Former Zifa boss Vincent Pamire was among millions of Zimbabweans who had to endure with the heartache.
“What a shame!” exclaimed Pamire.
The former Zifa and Zimbabwe Saints administrator said Zimbabwe football had yesterday plunged to a very low level. He said that was unprecedented and remedial action has to be taken now if the nation is serious about returning to past glory.
Zimbabwe qualified for the first time for the Afcon finals in 2004 under Pamire.
Two years later Rafik Khan was at the helm when the Warriors made it two in a row at the finals held in Egypt.
Zifa pushed for the introduction of younger players after the team lost to Angola in 2012, in the final qualifying match for the Africa Cup of Nations finals held in South Africa last year.
However, the move seems to have failed to bring the expected results. The younger players will have to wait for another two years before they play at that level and will have to concentrate on the Cosafa Senior Challenge.
“In all honesty the nation is shocked. Zifa have let Zimbabwe down and need to do a serious introspection as to where we could be going wrong,” said Pamire.
The latest setback comes after Zifa had the Under-17s and Under-20s banned from continental competitions. Two generations of players will lose out on international exposure because of that.
Pamire said even at the Chan tournament, the boys had taken their foot off the pedal when they chose to press for bonuses. On Saturday they put tools down demanding a better financial deal from the national association.
“They were not in the right frame of mind. They should have concentrated on the game and demanded their dues later. Had they won, the nation would have put resources together to remunerate them. Now they are out. Even at the Chan tournament they lost focus when they started demanding bonuses.
“It is them who have lost as more international matches would have marketed them,” said Pamire.
Sunungurayi Bhiza, a city businessman, was also disappointed by the Warriors’ exit.
“It’s embarrassing. I am shocked I can’t believe we have sunk this low to exit in preliminary rounds. We deserve better as the soccer family in Zimbabwe,” said Bhiza.
Jabulani Ndlovu, speaking from Johannesburg, South Africa, said the problem with Zifa was that many tended to concentrate on trivial issues.
“Winning is not a chance event. It should be an achievement through a well worked out programme where players are monitored. Even a social player can sneak into the Warriors because the coaches, just like Zifa, are not serious at all,” said Ndlovu.
Online Reporter