adminTHE newly elected Zifa board flexed its muscles on Thursday, coming up with a shocking decision as they fired national team coach Callisto Pasuwa.
The ill-timed decision to sack Pasuwa came at a time when the gaffer had been in camp with the Warriors preparing for the African Nations Championship (Chan) set for Rwanda from January 16 to February 7.
Dissolving camp means that Warriors’ preparations are in limbo and this will certainly have an effect on the team when they compete in Rwanda.
Chances are high that the Warriors will only re-group after New Year and will have about two weeks to wrap-up their preparations.
Zifa should be prepared to take blame for disrupting the national team preparations.
One is tempted to think that maybe firing Pasuwa is meant to buy the embattled association time to look for the $150,000 that they need to prepare for the Chan tournament.
Let’s hope axing Pasuwa isn’t driven by personal vendettas.
If there is a grain of truth in yesterday’s Herald Sport report that Pasuwa’s refusal to have Wellington Mpandare imposed as the team’s manager cost him the job, then that’s sad.
A view from outside could be that Mpandare, a former Young Warriors manager, is being rewarded for the role that he played campaigning for Zifa president Phillip Chiyangwa.
What wrong did ousted manager Sharrif Mussa do?
Is Pasuwa right to decline the board’s interference in the technical department?
What of Pasuwa’s open secret involvement with renowned agent Gibson Mahachi?
Was Pasuwa influenced to select players who belong to Mahachi’s stable?
If the problem was between Mahachi, Pasuwa and Zifa, then why were Nation Dube, Saul Chaminuka and others sacked?
For continuity’s sake, why didn’t they keep Pasuwa’s assistants.
In my own assessment, Pasuwa called the most deserving players and his downfall could have been that most of them belonged to Mahachi.
The Harare-based agent has cordial relations with almost all the teams in the country and a number of South African clubs.
If he had been influencing Pasuwa’s selection, something that I doubt he did, then Zifa is right to fire Pasuwa.
But if Mahachi only managed Pasuwa, then his ignorance of Fifa Code of Ethics could have cost his client a job.
The previous Zifa board might have seen no problem with the Pasuwa-Mahachi matter, but the present one is not taking chances.
Zifa and Pasuwa should have found common ground in dealing with the Mahachi factor instead of throwing Warriors’ Chan preparations into turmoil.
What one can’t take away from Pasuwa is his success.
Pasuwa is part of the elite coaches who’ve led the national team to the continental finals of a tournament which is designed exclusively for the home-based players.
Zimbabwe have never missed a Chan tournament whose first edition was held in Cote d’Ivoire in 2009. The Warriors went for the inaugural edition under Sunday Chidzambwa and then with Madinda Ndlovu in Sudan in 2011. On both occasions, the Warriors failed to progress to the knockout stages.
In the last edition held in South Africa in 2014, Zimbabwe then under the guidance of Ian Gorowa managed to finish fourth after losing to eventual winners Libya.
Pasuwa, a fans’ favourite for guiding the Warriors to Rwanda and steadying the national team ship during turbulent times, including industrial action due to non-payment of allowances should be hard-done wherever he is about Zifa’s shocking decision.
He leaves the Warriors in a very strong position to qualify for the 2017 African Cup of Nations finals as they lead their group which includes Malawi, Guinea and Swaziland.
Whether the decision to sack Pasuwa is right or wrong, there is a lot that coaches should learn from this Zifa resolution.
A gentleman’s agreement doesn’t work in football.
Pasuwa worked for long without a contract and every time he threatened to quit the Warriors, former Zifa president Cuthbert Dube will give the gaffer “keep going allowance” and save the situation.
We hear that Pasuwa who was yet to be given a contract by Zifa has gone unpaid for five months, yet he soldiered on and called the Warriors for camp.
How he will recover the money while he worked without a contract remains a mystery.
Pasuwa who won a record four successive championships with Dynamos failed to protect himself with a binding document, a contract, hence Zifa’s easy call to relieve him from his duties as they know that he cannot go to court.
One is left wondering why a seasoned coach like Pasuwa could work without a contract.
If ever Zifa owes him for his services, how much will it be seeing that there was no agreement between the gaffer and the callous national association.
My hope is that Joey Antipas who got to know about his appointment while on holiday in Kariba will only assume his responsibility as the national team gaffer once he has signed a contract.
Zifa blundered by announcing Antipas as Pasuwa’s replacement without talking to the Chicken Inn coach.
Speaking from Kariba yesterday morning, Antipas said; “I’m in Kariba Bro, having a well deserved houseboat holiday. I know nothing about my appointment as the national team coach.”
With Chicken Inn set to participate in the Caf Champions League starting at home against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns at home on the weekend of February 12-14, a week after the Chan finals, Antipas may not want to risk his club’s pre-season tournament by being away at Chan.
Maybe another critical thing that Zifa should have done before making the announcements on the composition of the new technical team was to talk with the shortlisted coaches, agree on terms and give them pre-contracts.
In future, Zifa must let the head coach select his backroom staff.
What they have done for Antipas is wrong. Why did they bring in Tonderai Ndiraya and Mandla Mpofu as his assistants?
What of Peter Nkomo who was fired at Highlanders alongside Mpofu as the goalkeepers’ coach?
Getting veteran Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu to double as the fitness coach and liaison officer is really shocking. Zulu has the experience but to make him the fitness coach after being a member of the Zifa High Performance Committee raises some eyebrows.
Online Reporter