ZNSSA call for calm heads

Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association have called for calm in the dispute that sparked the dramatic fallout between ZIFA benefactor, Wicknell Chivayo, and some sections of the local media urging both parties to be driven by national interests.

Eddie “Mboma” Nyatanga, the ZNSSA chief, told The Herald last night that ZIFA and the Warriors badly needed Chivayo’s financial assistance and urged the businessman to reverse his decision to withdraw his sponsorship package for the senior national team.

Chivayo said he would release the remainder of the $1 million that he pledged to ZIFA, over a three year period, but urged others to come and fill the void he left when he decided not to continue assisting the Warriors.

The businessman had dangled a $250 000 carrot for the Warriors to qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup finals and that, for now, has been withdrawn.

Nyatanga said it was imperative that people work for the development, rather than destruction, of Zimbabwe football and Chivayo was needed to be part of the game as “we move forward.”

“Our call as ZNSSA is that the game of football is bigger than anyone, and is our biggest sport, and we should value what it gives to the people of this nation,” Nyatanga said.

“We should find common ground so that we all work together, united as one football family, to ensure that we succeed because that is what the fans want and it’s something that builds the profile of our nation.

“The media plays a very critical role in this and this should always be respected and we have always done that as ZNSSA because we know that friction will not take us anywhere but, instead, it will drag us backwards and we will destroy what we want to build.

“Let’s value the fact that we are all Zimbabweans, united by our flag and national team, and it’s regrettable that, at this hour, when the celebrations from that win against Swaziland have hardly died down, we are fighting each other and that is not good for us.

“Imagine if we had lost that game, the chaos that would have erupted in this country, and let’s borrow a leaf from Swaziland, they lost a big game, but they are back on the drawing board and already planning for the next game but the winners are back fighting each other as if we don’t have a big game coming very soon.”

Nyatanga said the issue of payment for Warriors coaches has always been a thorny one because of ZIFA’s financial predicament.

“Let’s not forget that we were kicked out of the World Cup 2018 because we couldn’t, as a nation, pay less than $100 000, over a period of more than five years, for our former Warriors coach Valinhos,” said Nyatanga.

“We would have been out of the 2022 World Cup finals, if Wicknell had not paid off Tom Saintfiet’s debt for coaching the Warriors, for one or two days, and that was a huge amount, more than $180 000.

“We also had Ian Gorowa who spent more than nine months, coaching the Warriors, and without being paid and no one did anything for him.

“What we are saying is that since Philip Chiyangwa took over as ZIFA president, just a few months ago, we have seen some progress, our national team coaches now have cars and things are looking better and let’s ensure that we keep pursuing that route.

“The fans just want to see their teams, the Warriors and the Mighty Warriors winning, and we are charmed by what we are hearing from the Pasuwa camp that they have no issues with ZIFA and we should ensure that they should never have any issues so that we are focused as a nation to qualify for Gabon.

“If the Warriors qualify, it’s the people of Zimbabwe who will celebrate and that is why we believe that people like Wicknell should be praised for what they are doing while we should also respect the media so that both parties work together for the success of our nation.”

ZNSSA executive committee member, Paddington Japajapa said Chivayo had done what many big corporate entities had failed to do and his sponsorship should be guarded jealously.

“We had welcomed Chivayo as one of the Messiahs we needed in football but the decision he has taken is so painful to most of us who have come to appreciate his gesture,” said Japajapa.

“I understand where he is coming from, though. My brother Chivayo was not used to such media bombardment and scrutiny before he came into the sponsorship of soccer but this is the reality my brother. You have to develop a thick skin.

“Your pulling out of sponsoring the national teams will only plunge the nation back into the abyss in terms of development and success.

“But our media must not quickly forget that our football is coming from the intensive care unit where it was for a long time. The Cuthbert Dube executive had taken our game to the dogs and into the grave.

“So Zimbabwean soccer and the millions of fans have more to lose from Chivayo’s withdrawal from sponsoring football.

“I think Chivayo must be thanked for what he has done so far in terms of sponsoring all the national soccer teams.”

Businessman Josh Hozheri said it was important for people to appreciate that times were tough and money was hard to come by.

“Whatever little that we get in football, we should appreciate it because times are hard and very few people, or companies, are extending money into sport,” said Hozheri.

“We have civil servants whose bonuses have been staggered and that should tell us that it’s a tough operating environment and my concern is the message that this sends to those who have always hidden behind the excuse that there is chaos in football, and that is why they are not coming in to sponsor the game.”