Zifa get fans feedback

Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
FOOTBALL fans who visited the Zimbabwe Football Association stand at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, which ended yesterday called on the football body to produce replica jerseys and decentralise national team matches.
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said visitors to their stand expressed concern over lack of availability of replicas for the national team jersey.

The national soccer governing body has failed to produce the replicas as they have not signed up a technical partner and do not have the capacity to produce the imitations on their own due to financial constraints.

Gwesela, however, said it was an issue they were looking into.
“We are working on the issue at the moment that is why we brought images of various jerseys and asked fans to choose which one they want. After they have made their selection we will then make the replicas available throughout the country.

“I am sure in less than a month we would have produced some replicas although we would be initiating a tender process that would see us calling on those interested in producing the kit for us to come on board,” he said.

Zifa penned a deal with Umbro for the sports clothing company to kit the Warriors during the 2014 African Nations Championships (CHAN) in January in South Africa. The sports apparel company also produced replicas, which were snapped up during the tournament in which the locally-based Warriors managed to reach the semi-finals.

The deal was facilitated by Warriors coach Ian Gorowa. Previously Zifa had a contract with Legea.

Zifa was reportedly close to clinching a deal with Puma after a trial run that saw the company producing a kit for the Warriors they used in their 2-1 win over Mali during a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at Rufaro Stadium and also produced 100 replicas.

Former Zifa board member Nigel Munyati claimed Zifa came close to clinching the Puma deal but it was blocked because he was at the forefront of wrapping it up and other board members did not want him to be given the glory of successfully negotiating the deal.

Munyati revealed this in March when he was campaigning for the Zifa presidency, eventually won by Cuthbert Dube and the former polled zero votes.

Football fans outside Harare have been disappointed by the fact all national team games are played in the capital.

Recently elected Zifa vice-president Omega Sibanda said he would push for the Warriors to play in every corner of the country  where there are proper facilities.

After his election into office, Sibanda said he was ready to fight to have the games decentralised.

Gwesela said Zifa would adhere to the fans’ wishes and the forthcoming 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers would not only be played in Harare but would be spread to other venues.

“We are appealing to stadium owners to ensure they improve the standards of the facilities to ensure they do not miss out on hosting the Warriors. We are going to take the senior national team games to various stadia across the country.

“The Warriors are not a Harare project as some love to say but it is a national project hence our intention to have important games played even outside the capital,” he said.

Gwesela also said fans called for the end of improper corporate governance at the football mother-body.

“A majority of the visitors’ questions revolved around issues of poor corporate governance with some claiming Zifa has not had an audit for the past 10 years but that is not true. I think there have been some wild, speculative reports in the media that give people such perceptions.

“We just completed our audits for the past two years which will be presented to the assembly next month.

“People also expressed joy at the Warriors performance at CHAN in South Africa,” he said.
This is the second year Zifa is exhibiting at the ZITF after participating at the trade showcase last year with hopes of reaching out to the corporate world and football lovers.

Zifa also launched their Ecocash platform as they seek financial support from ordinary Zimbabweans.

Gwesela said their project was warmly received and believes fans will start sending funds to Zifa.

“We are asking fans to support us by sending funds to our merchant code 57341 as a way of supporting the game as we are currently not getting any funding from Government, which is making life difficult for us.

“I would like to assure the public that all the funds we receive will be put to good use and would be accounted for,” he said.