Football powerhouse, Highlanders have come under fire after two successive matches against bitter rivals Dynamos were abandoned due to crowd trouble at their home ground Babourfields Stadium. The sports media seems very perturbed by these developments, and are blasting Bosso left right and centre. Below, we feature an article by The Herald Sport Editor Robson Sharuko.
What makes Bosso's issue interesting is that despite agreeing to follow the rules of the Banc ABC Cup, which prohibit clubs from going to court against a decision of the Arbitration Committee, the club decided to have the final between DeMbare and Caps United postponed, through a High Court order. To then have the next match against DeMbare abandoned again seems to be a testimony that those who follow the black and white outfit are not willing to accept a match result unless it is in their favour.
Enjoy the article below, and please make your comments:
By Robson Sharuko
HIGHLANDERS is an 84-year-old football institution, widely acknowledged as one of the two biggest football clubs in this country, whose appeal cuts across racial and tribal barriers and whose journey in search of greatness — pregnant with both triumph and tragedy — has captured the imagination of millions.
To some of those loyal followers, Bosso is more than just a football club.
It’s an iconic institution that fulfils their dreams and has produced a battery of stars whose talents cheered the spirits of a constituency that has always loved the beautiful game since that landmark day in 1926 when King Lobengula’s grandson Rhodes returned home, from studies at Lovedale Institute in South Africa, and formed Lions Football Club in Makokoba.
From those humble beginnings, rose the phoenix that we call Highlanders today, multiple winners of the domestic championship, a productive nursery that has produced legends like Josiah Nxumalo and Peter Ndlovu and a mean machine which, at the turn of the millennium, evolved into the best football club in the country.
In the first decade, since the turn of the millennium, Bosso have been the dominant football club in this country by winning four league titles, but the irony of it all is that classes of super Highlanders teams, which graced our fields in the ‘70s and ‘80s, never won the championship, but still left their mark and an archive of lasting memories for their fans.
To their opponents, especially the Dynamos fans, Bosso have always represented the ultimate prize that has to be captured, and subdued, in an endless turf battle for superiority in a fierce fight for the right to win the bragging rights that come with being called the nation’s best football club.
Even when Highlanders were not winning the league championships, and DeMbare dominated the landscape, the sheer size of the Bosso support base, the passion that runs deep among their fans and the blood-and-thunder battles that were fought meant their epic meetings remained the flagship clash of the domestic Premiership.
CAPS United’s evolution from a club that specialised in just winning knockout football tournaments, into a genuine championship-winning team in 1996 and the subsequent success stories of 2004 and 2005 might have added a degree of intensity to their rivalry with Dynamos, but Bosso remained the prized catch.
While DeMbare and Makepekepe’s duels can be defined in the context of a battle for the bragging rights of a city, The Battle of Harare, the Glamour Boys’ clash with Bosso carries a bigger prize and is defined in national context — The Battle of Zimbabwe.
Four years have now passed since Highlanders last won the league championship and, during that period, the balance of power has swung decisively into Harare’s corridors and Dynamos (2007), Monomotapa (2008) and Gunners (2009) took turns to keep the biggest prize, in domestic football, in the capital.
While Bosso were sleeping, the clubs from the capital did not only win the league championships but they also made waves on the continent with Dynamos reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League and Monoz reaching the group stages — something that Highlanders have failed to do every time they plunged into the jungles of African football flying the national flag.
There were four Zimbabwean teams in the Champions League and the Confederations Cup this season, the first time that this country has had such a huge representation on the continent, but Bosso were not part of that cast of clubs which, to rub salt into the wounds of the Highlanders’ loyalists, included lightweights Lengthens.
While little Gunners were preparing for a showdown against mighty Al-Ahly of Egypt in the Champions League, Bosso were bracing for a league match against Douglas Warriors — confined to the domestic adventures by their poor show in the previous season and searching for solutions, in a tough battle to regain greatness, which seemingly couldn’t be picked by their radar.
But even the world’s greatest teams also hit a barren pitch some of the time and their struggles do not necessarily signal the end of their days as a force to be reckoned with.
Some things are just meant to be and football throws a number of such scenarios.
While Liverpool have yet to win a league championship in 20 years, it was interesting to hear from Sir Alex Ferguson, going into the league tie at Old Trafford two weeks ago, that the Reds remain Manchester United’s ultimate enemy and the clash remains the flagship fixture of the English Premiership.
While England have never won the World Cup, since a controversial 4-2 triumph in extra-time over Germany at Wembley in 1966, and the Germans have won the title twice and been runners-up a number of times since that day, there is no question that the England/Germany clash remains European football’s flagship fixture.
The two giants met in a 2010 World Cup second round tie in Bloemfontein in June and England were soundly beaten 1-4 by a rampant Germany that went all the way to the semi-finals before settling for third place.
But that fixture will forever be remembered for that goal by Frank Lampard, which clearly crossed the line and should have given the Three Lions a deserved equaliser, had it somehow not been missed by a blundering referee and his assistant.
For all their hooliganism, the English fans didn’t turn Bloemfontein into a battle ground, even when it was clear that fate had conspired to rob their team of a goal and human error had contributed to their World Cup elimination, despite all the pain that came with losing in such cruel fashion to their biggest rivals.
Years of isolation, in the aftermath of the Heysel disaster in Belgium when 39 Italian fans died during crowd trouble torched by English fans at a European Cup final featuring Liverpool and Juventus, had long taught the English the value of sportsmanship.
Until Heysel was turned into a death cage by the rampaging Liverpool hooligans, English fans and their clubs behaved as if they were a law unto themselves and specialised in adding a terror touch to the game that the rest of mainland Europe enjoyed in tranquility.
Because it was a culture that was prevalent at home, and more often than not went unpunished, the hooligans started to believe that it was the way it should be until that dark day in Belgium when the shock of the death of the Italian fans gave the Uefa leadership the courage to stop the nonsense.
For five years, the English clubs were banned from Europe and, isolated from the world, they leant painful lessons and came back a reformed group.
Highlanders, just like Liverpool before them, carry a certain responsibility by virtue of their status as a massive football club.
In the pre-Heysel days, the Liverpool fans mistook the size of their club, and the sheer number of the people who supported to the team, as a licence that gave them the freedom to bully everyone who came their way and, if need be, use force to subdue them using their strength in numbers.
One gets a feeling that this is the same syndrome that is affecting the Highlanders fans today, their soul persecuted by their team’s failings on the pitch, that pain compounded by the success of their biggest rivals at home and on the continent and a state of confusion created by a leadership that appears helpless to lead the way during difficult times for this sleeping giant.
Neither is their case being helped by the failure by both the PSL leadership and the Zifa board to take firm decisive action, if not on the trouble causers then on the team that represents its fans, and stop the madness that has turned Barbourfields into a battle zone.
The football leadership’s failure to effectively deal with the hooliganism that is clearly rampant within the Highlanders’ ranks has been one of the glaring shortcomings of the men and women that we put into positions of authority, in sweeping changes in the corridors of power in the domestic game, at the beginning of the year.
From a distance both Zifa and the PSL leaders have watched, helplessly, as the hooligans at Barbourfields assaulted the director of a visiting Premiership team, played a big part in the abandonment of the BancABC Sup8r Cup semi-final and then forced the premature ending of the league match between Dynamos and Bosso on Sunday.
They have watched from their offices, as the Bosso leadership — who should be well versed in the Fifa regulations that outlaw the practice of taking football issues to the courts of law — dragging not only the PSL leadership but even the only sponsor who has cared to stick with a domestic game so short on corporate partners it remains on a life-support system.
Now the BancABC Sup8r Cup remains in limbo and, thanks to this circus, we are certain to hear either this week, or next week, BancABC finally telling us that they have had enough of this madness and will be taking their money to cricket.
Where is the leadership in all this nonsense?
Why are club officials being allowed to behave as if they have turned into some kind of super chiefs, in imaginary kingdoms on Mars, where they are not answerable to anyone?
Is this still the same game that banned certain leaders, not so long ago when it was still under firm leadership, simply because they had stepped over the line?
In the English Premiership, Arsene Wenger complains to the referee about time added on in Arsenal’s game against Sunderland and he is hit with an FA charge for bringing the game into disrepute.
Here in Zimbabwe, club officials can take matters to court, and hold an entire tournament to ransom, and still no action is taken against them.
Highlanders, without a doubt, are a big club in a big crisis. For the better part of the last four years they have been trying to find a way back to the big time, to be competitive again, to win championships again, to play on the continent again, to woo their fans back to Barbourfields in large numbers.
They are a team at the cross-roads, crippled by a questionable leadership, a questionable technical team, a dwindling support base and a soul that has been torn apart by the sum total of their struggles.
But Bosso should not be allowed to drag the entire domestic game into their grave.
Their hooligans should not be allowed to turn Barbourfields into a place where nothing but a Bosso victory would be acceptable.
There might have been a number of people who sympathised with their gamesmanship, in trying to get the BancABC Sup8r Cup abandoned, because of DeMbare’s unfortunate antics — to walk away from the field in protest — earlier in the game.
But, after the wild events on Sunday, it’s hard to find those neutrals still singing the Bosso tune.
Yes, referees might be at fault here and there, even at the grand stage like the World Cup, but that isn’t a licence for teams and their fans to take the law into their hands.
The time has come for this nonsense to be stopped and the domestic football leadership has to take firm action, with tough measures, or we can finally bury the domestic game — which has been on life-support for some time now — in its grave.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
ZIFA and the Rule of Law
By
It feels good to side with the crowd the temptation is great that I blast Zifa and support Norman after all he is of my own flesh and blood above all his skin is as dark as mine. It feels good to have a brother a young one for that matter having a chance to lead our warriors especially when the brother has led it before as a player.
But is it the right thing always to side with the crowd and succumb to mobocracy? NO! My communication skills lecturer used to say even if 100 people agree on something which is wrong it will never make the thing right!
I think Zimbos should respect institutions and systems the new Zifa Board is trying to set up.Rule of law .... lol! Before Saintfiet was there any technical committee set up to select a coach? Before Saintfiet was there any interviews held in Zim for a coach? Before Saintfiet was there a job description of the national coach ever known to the fans? we used to know that a national team coach is a coach fullstop! Before this process did we know that a coach needs five o levels! did we know that the coach draws up the team 4 year plan and drafts concise reports for national development of the game? I think the Zifa board is trying to get us in the right direction and as fans hapana chedu pakusarudzwa kwa coach! Its our money but so what? we dont get fired, insulted or wont win the next election if things go wrong!It is the board that we jeer and sometimes burn and stone their cars kuRufaro Let Zifa do their job lets support the team ndopedu ipapo! If Zifa wanted our opinion vangadai vakaenda kuZEC yoconducter run off between Saintfiet and Saint Mapeza!
Maradona was appointed national team coach weArgies with some of the best players in the world. This was a hugely popular decision in Argentina but for all the stars Argentina fell like a deck of cards when it mattered most... Now Maradona is jobless and even Aston Villa made fun of his application to be the team manager! The moral lets not overburden vaMapeza nebasa remaWarriors groom him sent him for training in Europe make him in charge of U23 make him qualify for the Olympics let him go through the mill and then make him coach wemaWarriors!
So I hate Mapeza? So I hate local coaches? So I am obssesed with foreigners... in someone`s word ndirimutengesi a sell out or even a turn coat? Bush once said if u are not with us then u are our enemy! This is the same with Zimbos if u think differently then u are a mercenary and an enemy! I am not! I am just the guy next door who loves footie like.... hameno! I am the guy who actually idolises Mapeza and believe Zimbabwe can polish him into an internationally renowned coach!
By the way Mhofu is back in Zim taking a break from footie... interesting times.
Lets debate this pa www.soccerzim.co.zw go to categories and go to forums
Yours for Mapeza, Football and the bright future we are setting up for our football!
By Tsungai Albert Mavambe
www.soccerzim.co.zw
It feels good to side with the crowd the temptation is great that I blast Zifa and support Norman after all he is of my own flesh and blood above all his skin is as dark as mine. It feels good to have a brother a young one for that matter having a chance to lead our warriors especially when the brother has led it before as a player.
But is it the right thing always to side with the crowd and succumb to mobocracy? NO! My communication skills lecturer used to say even if 100 people agree on something which is wrong it will never make the thing right!
I think Zimbos should respect institutions and systems the new Zifa Board is trying to set up.Rule of law .... lol! Before Saintfiet was there any technical committee set up to select a coach? Before Saintfiet was there any interviews held in Zim for a coach? Before Saintfiet was there a job description of the national coach ever known to the fans? we used to know that a national team coach is a coach fullstop! Before this process did we know that a coach needs five o levels! did we know that the coach draws up the team 4 year plan and drafts concise reports for national development of the game? I think the Zifa board is trying to get us in the right direction and as fans hapana chedu pakusarudzwa kwa coach! Its our money but so what? we dont get fired, insulted or wont win the next election if things go wrong!It is the board that we jeer and sometimes burn and stone their cars kuRufaro Let Zifa do their job lets support the team ndopedu ipapo! If Zifa wanted our opinion vangadai vakaenda kuZEC yoconducter run off between Saintfiet and Saint Mapeza!
Maradona was appointed national team coach weArgies with some of the best players in the world. This was a hugely popular decision in Argentina but for all the stars Argentina fell like a deck of cards when it mattered most... Now Maradona is jobless and even Aston Villa made fun of his application to be the team manager! The moral lets not overburden vaMapeza nebasa remaWarriors groom him sent him for training in Europe make him in charge of U23 make him qualify for the Olympics let him go through the mill and then make him coach wemaWarriors!
So I hate Mapeza? So I hate local coaches? So I am obssesed with foreigners... in someone`s word ndirimutengesi a sell out or even a turn coat? Bush once said if u are not with us then u are our enemy! This is the same with Zimbos if u think differently then u are a mercenary and an enemy! I am not! I am just the guy next door who loves footie like.... hameno! I am the guy who actually idolises Mapeza and believe Zimbabwe can polish him into an internationally renowned coach!
By the way Mhofu is back in Zim taking a break from footie... interesting times.
Lets debate this pa www.soccerzim.co.zw go to categories and go to forums
Yours for Mapeza, Football and the bright future we are setting up for our football!
By Tsungai Albert Mavambe
www.soccerzim.co.zw
Friday, September 24, 2010
Pick of the Week: Hopefully No High Court This Time
Every Friday, Zimsoccerfan previews what we consider to be the weekend’s major attraction in terms of local football.
They don’t come any bigger than this! Highlanders vs. Dynamos is a big issue and this weekend’s affair will be no different. The two sides are the bitterest of rivals and will be happy to renew the rivalry come 3 O’clock Sunday afternoon. This is the kind of game that sets brother against brother, husband Vs. Wife and drive wedges between friends, if only for 90 minutes.
The Setting
Bosso have been having a season to forget this season. They lost part one of the battle easily, and were also on a losing cause when the Banc ABC Super Cup Semi final between the two sides was abandoned at the same venue some few weeks ago. The incident filled game was abandoned in the second half due to many reasons, among them walks off the field by both sets of players at different intervals of the game as the ref awarded dubious penalties. A disciplinary committee set up by the Premier Soccer League management committee found Bosso on the wrong and awarded the game to De Mbare, but the Bulawayo giants have taken the case to the High court, stopping the epic final that was to pit De Mbare against bitter rivals Caps United.
One hopes that events of the last match will not fuel further tension in the terraces on Sunday. The match needs to run its full course and may the best side win.
It’s an understatement to say Highlanders have been disappointing this season. They problems seem to compound each week with news of player revolt due to unpaid salaries. Despite the fact that Dynamos have somehow become comfortable playing Highlanders at B/F, the stadium no longer had the intimidating Lions’ Den atmosphere of previous years.
Although they have been going through rebuilding exercise, many Highlanders fans will not take lightly to losing against their erstwhile Harare rivals, more so at B/F, so the team will be under pressure to raise their game. Fans will be hoping Captain Gilbert Banda will forget the horror of missing a penalty in the ill fated Cup game, and will be hoping youngsters Protrasia Kabwe and Bruce Kangwa will raise their game. In the reverse fixture at Rufaro, veterans Stephen Alimenda and Joe Luphalha were outstanding for Mantengwane, but both have been lured by the green side of the capital, Caps United.
Dynamos, although not very convincing in their play, find themselves lying second on the PSL log, 10 points behind Motor Action and with 3 games in hand. They will be hard pressed to get a result at B/F to keep pressure on the Might Bulls, who themselves have a tricky assignment against former Champions Monomotapa at Rufaro 24 hours earlier. If the Might Bulls win, pressure will be on Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe’s men to also chalk up 3 points, else they can start kissing the Championship good bye.
DeMbare’s problem, ever since the departure of Cuthbert Malajila has been scoring. This saw them manage only 2 goals in the group stages of the Orange CAF Champions league group stages. The fans in Blue and White will be looking to the likes of Benjamin Marere, Evans Gwekwerere, Wonder Sithole and Dylan Chivandire to provide the sucker puches. Marere has been playing well either on the wing, or a s a cntral striker, but cant complement his dribbling skills and trickery with the goal scoring touch. Gwekwerere has had his moments at B/F, especially in the 2006 season when he broke many Bosso hearts with a hat trick against Zimbabwe Saints which saw him peep then Bosso wonderboy Ralph Mathema to that month’s top scorer award. Given the pathetic shows he has been givng since returning from an ill fated sojourn down south, we doubt if he will have such an enigma again on Sunday.
The Difference Makers
One thing that has really been lacking for Highlanders this season has been that Adam or Peter Ndlovu or Zenzo Moyo kind of player they used to have. The match winners. The one player who no matter how much the chips appear to be down, will pick the game and almost out of thin air, conjure up something that bags the points. Its hard to pick such a player in the current line up. Yes, you would expect captain Banda to lead from the back, but to really expect one of their youngsters to conjure up something special upfront, especially against the rock solid defence of Guthrie Zhokinyu and George Magariro, seems to be asking for too much.
Ironically, De Mbare also not expected to have much fire power upfront. They might have the names, but that’s all they have. Names. Gwekwerere has totally failed to find the touch of 2006 which made him a household name in an unforgettable 3 or 4 month period donning the famous blue and white. Dylan Chivandire at Dynamos is miles apart from the same player at Sundowns.
If anything is to be expected from De Mbare, it might come from midfield, where Marere and skipper Desmond Maringwa (if he starts) will be patrolling. If he maintain his head, Ashley “Compressor” Rambanepasi will be Chuchu’s trump card, and might just be the difference maker De Mbare will need.
At the end of the day...
Like we have written elsewhere, we do not think that this match will produce a winner. It may live up to the billing, but we think it will just have too much tension for any side to allow the other to play. The two coaches will emphasize on defence, which happen to be the two sides’ strengths anyway, and will be a goalless affair.
They don’t come any bigger than this! Highlanders vs. Dynamos is a big issue and this weekend’s affair will be no different. The two sides are the bitterest of rivals and will be happy to renew the rivalry come 3 O’clock Sunday afternoon. This is the kind of game that sets brother against brother, husband Vs. Wife and drive wedges between friends, if only for 90 minutes.
The Setting
Bosso have been having a season to forget this season. They lost part one of the battle easily, and were also on a losing cause when the Banc ABC Super Cup Semi final between the two sides was abandoned at the same venue some few weeks ago. The incident filled game was abandoned in the second half due to many reasons, among them walks off the field by both sets of players at different intervals of the game as the ref awarded dubious penalties. A disciplinary committee set up by the Premier Soccer League management committee found Bosso on the wrong and awarded the game to De Mbare, but the Bulawayo giants have taken the case to the High court, stopping the epic final that was to pit De Mbare against bitter rivals Caps United.
One hopes that events of the last match will not fuel further tension in the terraces on Sunday. The match needs to run its full course and may the best side win.
It’s an understatement to say Highlanders have been disappointing this season. They problems seem to compound each week with news of player revolt due to unpaid salaries. Despite the fact that Dynamos have somehow become comfortable playing Highlanders at B/F, the stadium no longer had the intimidating Lions’ Den atmosphere of previous years.
Although they have been going through rebuilding exercise, many Highlanders fans will not take lightly to losing against their erstwhile Harare rivals, more so at B/F, so the team will be under pressure to raise their game. Fans will be hoping Captain Gilbert Banda will forget the horror of missing a penalty in the ill fated Cup game, and will be hoping youngsters Protrasia Kabwe and Bruce Kangwa will raise their game. In the reverse fixture at Rufaro, veterans Stephen Alimenda and Joe Luphalha were outstanding for Mantengwane, but both have been lured by the green side of the capital, Caps United.
Dynamos, although not very convincing in their play, find themselves lying second on the PSL log, 10 points behind Motor Action and with 3 games in hand. They will be hard pressed to get a result at B/F to keep pressure on the Might Bulls, who themselves have a tricky assignment against former Champions Monomotapa at Rufaro 24 hours earlier. If the Might Bulls win, pressure will be on Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe’s men to also chalk up 3 points, else they can start kissing the Championship good bye.
DeMbare’s problem, ever since the departure of Cuthbert Malajila has been scoring. This saw them manage only 2 goals in the group stages of the Orange CAF Champions league group stages. The fans in Blue and White will be looking to the likes of Benjamin Marere, Evans Gwekwerere, Wonder Sithole and Dylan Chivandire to provide the sucker puches. Marere has been playing well either on the wing, or a s a cntral striker, but cant complement his dribbling skills and trickery with the goal scoring touch. Gwekwerere has had his moments at B/F, especially in the 2006 season when he broke many Bosso hearts with a hat trick against Zimbabwe Saints which saw him peep then Bosso wonderboy Ralph Mathema to that month’s top scorer award. Given the pathetic shows he has been givng since returning from an ill fated sojourn down south, we doubt if he will have such an enigma again on Sunday.
The Difference Makers
One thing that has really been lacking for Highlanders this season has been that Adam or Peter Ndlovu or Zenzo Moyo kind of player they used to have. The match winners. The one player who no matter how much the chips appear to be down, will pick the game and almost out of thin air, conjure up something that bags the points. Its hard to pick such a player in the current line up. Yes, you would expect captain Banda to lead from the back, but to really expect one of their youngsters to conjure up something special upfront, especially against the rock solid defence of Guthrie Zhokinyu and George Magariro, seems to be asking for too much.
Ironically, De Mbare also not expected to have much fire power upfront. They might have the names, but that’s all they have. Names. Gwekwerere has totally failed to find the touch of 2006 which made him a household name in an unforgettable 3 or 4 month period donning the famous blue and white. Dylan Chivandire at Dynamos is miles apart from the same player at Sundowns.
If anything is to be expected from De Mbare, it might come from midfield, where Marere and skipper Desmond Maringwa (if he starts) will be patrolling. If he maintain his head, Ashley “Compressor” Rambanepasi will be Chuchu’s trump card, and might just be the difference maker De Mbare will need.
At the end of the day...
Like we have written elsewhere, we do not think that this match will produce a winner. It may live up to the billing, but we think it will just have too much tension for any side to allow the other to play. The two coaches will emphasize on defence, which happen to be the two sides’ strengths anyway, and will be a goalless affair.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Weekend Predictions
Every Thursday, Zimsoccerfan waves its magic wand and tries to predict the outcome of the weekend’s Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League results.
This week, the local Premiership enters week number 18. Pacesetters Motor Action continue to lead the pack, and got some reprieve from Shabanie Mine yesterday who held their closest rivals Dynamos to a 1 all draw at Maglas Stadium in Zvishavane. The draw left the ten point gap between De Mbare and the Mighty Bulls firmly intact, as the Boys in Blue face their biggest fixture of the season, against old foes Highlanders at Babourfields. The Bulls date former Champions Monomotapa at Rufaro 24 hours earlier. Here is what we think will be the outcome:
Friday 24 Sept, 2010
Bantu Rovers Vs Eagles (Hartsfield Grounds)
The house that Methembe “Mayor” Ndlovu is building seems to be crumbling before it reaches window level. The relegation threatened “Thsova Guluva” need to find the points fast, and this just doesn’t appear to be the game they will do so. Eagles have not been at their best, but have shown that they may have the staying power to be in the Premiership for yet another season. A draw away from home will make the new Warriors Assistant Coach Friday Phiri a happy man, and he is almost assured of it.
This is not a game that many will be paying much attention to, but will have a huge bearing on the relegation dogfight come end of season. We think Eagles will go out there to avoid defeat, and they will be able to do so. A 1 all draw is most likely.
Saturday 25 Sept, 2010
Lengthens Vs. Douglas Warriors (Dzivarasekwa)
This will be a battle of old foes as Lengthens and Dougie settle issues that arise from their rivalry in the first division. Douglas Warriors had developed a reputation of being the near men of the Northern Region Division league as they would escort other teams, including The Happy People to the finishing line. They would now want to prove their mettle when they face one of the sides that once peeped them on promotion into the Premier League.
Life in the top flight hasn’t been easy for the Douglas Tanyanyiwa owned team, and with an injury likely to keep key player Admire Dzukamanja, arguably the most experienced in their rank out, they are likely to find the going tough at DZ. Lengthens do play well at Dzivarasekwa, and on a good day, they should be able to choke up a 2 – 0 win.
Monomotapa Vs. Motor Action (Rufaro)
Aside from the highly anticipated Battle of Zimbabwe Part II at B/F, this is easily the second biggest attraction this weekend. Given that it will be played a day before the Blue Army that supports Dynamos rallies behind its team at B/F, you can expect a lot of them to be there cheering on Monos.
Motor Action have become the latest rivals for De-Mbare, and the way they went about collecting maximum points in an ill tempered tie Vs. DeMbare earlier this season, plus how they have kept on collecting more on the trot, will sway thousands to back whoever they will be playing against. Monoz are likely to benefit heavily this Saturday. The former Champions have not been a convincing lot themselves. In fact ever since they won the Championship, they have failed to reproduce the form locally that saw them play in the group stages of the Orange CAF Champions League last season. They seem to have been content to do just enough to stay in mid table.
The game will be good, if not downright pulsating. But, supposing Alan Gahadzikwa and co. find their rhythm in the middle of the park, and William Kupera brings his shooting boots again, it is easy to expect another victory for the Joey Antipas coached side from Motor Action Sports Club. This is likely to end in a 2 - 1 win for the Bulls.
Shooting Starts Vs. Kiglon (Gwanzura)
Its very difficult to rate Shooting Starts’ performance this season. They have really been on and off, from being blasted 3 – 0 from a confidence lacking Caps United to bravely holding a marauding Motor Action goalless last week. One never knows what really to expect when they march onto the turf at Gwanzura come Saturday afternoon.
Kiglon’s performances will also not do much to help us predict what thy can do. Only last week, they showed how self destructive they can be when they allowed a seemingly out of sorts Hwange side come from 2 goals down to win the match at Rufaro. Give them Dynamos or Caps, and you will see the best out of Kiglon. Against other so called small teams, they become punching bags.
Having said that, we think veteran Elliot Matsika will once again rise to the occasion and give Coach Gishon “Gizha” Ntini something to smile about, come end of Saturday. A 1 – 0 win for the Stars is likely.
Sunday 26 Sept, 2010
Caps United Vs. Black Mambas (Rufaro)
If there is a side that is exciting to watch these days, it is none other than the yellow coloured Green Machine. Maybe the much talked about yellow strip was a sign of maturity that the team has attained since Moses “Bambo” Chunga took over from Lloyd “Llodza” Chitembwe a few weeks ago. Chunga has chalked up four wins on the trot, a no mean feat given that victory had eluded Chitembwe’s side for so long. Zimsoccerfans believe there is more to underperformance of a team than just the coach, but there comes a time when a coach just can’t find it in him to motivate the players, and a new one can come and use the same players to do wonders. This is what we feel Chunga is doing at Caps right now.
What makes this fixture interesting though is the fact that Mambas themselves have been going through some sort of mini revival. After sponsors Twalumba Holdings poured in some cash, and some high profile campaigners like ex Dynamos goalkeeper Willard Manyatera, Defender William Mapfumo as well as ex Lengthens and Warriors fringe striker Richard Mteki joined them, things have been sort of looking up for the police side. Technical Director Madinda Ndlovu will be hard pressed to justify his recent puzzling appointment into the Warriors technical team, and will hope his team will be buoyed by their 1 – 1 draw with his boyhood team Highlanders, to string a surprise against a highly jovial Makepekepe side. It will be a toll order.
Inasmuch as we love the David Vs. Goliath story, we are afraid we are not expecting miracles in this one. If Manyatera is able to keep the scoreline below 3, he would have done a great job. This shall go to Kepekepe and Chunga at 3 – 0
Gunners Vs. Shabanie Mine (National Sports Stadium)
The Champions seems to be another side on a revival. They have all of a sudden re-emerged to take up a top four place, just at a time when we were about to forget who the holders are. Norman Maroto has kept his goal scoring touch from last season, and might become one of the few modern day players to make it onto the Soccer Stars calendar for two consecutive years. It’s been a rarity these days. With his boots on, Shabanie might be in for a toast.
However, the asbestos miners have not been bad themselves, especially given that they are coming to Harare on the back of holding giants Dynamos 1 -1 at Maglas. But then again, one will be quickly reminded that that was at Maglas. John Ncube’s side play a shoddy game the moment they leave Zvishavane and that is likely to see them go down to 2 more goals from Norman Maroto, and they would have done well to offer a response. 2 - 1 to Gunners!
Highlanders Vs. Dynamos (Babourfields)
Those in the know call this the Battle of Zimbabwe Part II. It’s by far the Pick of the Week, and it wouldn’t have come at a better time, tension wise. The last time the two met, it couldn’t be settled on footballing terms. Now the High Court has been called in to try and force a re-match. Rivalries hardly come any bigger than this. Forget that Highlanders have not been at their best, or that De-Mbare have been the punching bag of their Orange CAF Champions League group. All of a sudden, all the underperformers find their rhythm. These are the kinds of games that turn players’ careers up side down, as well as down side up. Ask a guy called Dimitre Bebatov what games of this nature do to your confidence.
Although he led his side in some grueling encounters on the African safari, Dynamos Coach Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe will find no better match than his first one in charge, the one that saw his side, led by one Cuthbert Malajila clobber Bosso 4 – 0 one Sunday afternoon at Rufaro last season. Highlanders’ fans will breathe a sigh of relief there is no Malajila to talk about this time.
The best we will hope for is that this one will see the full ninety minutes being played. Even if its so, we doubt there will be anything to separate the two sides. Yes, a draw will do more harm to De Mbare than Bosso, and De Mbare have a knack of playing their best at B/F, but we got this hunch this one will see a share of spoils, and sorry to the fans, we don’t see no goals being scored. Both strike forces have been so blunt in front of goal this season. It will be good, explosive, entertaining, very good value for money, but no goals. 0 - 0.
Hwange Vs. FC Victoria (Colliery)
This one seems to be a no brainer. Hwange are tough at home, ask Motor Action. They might have come up with three points, but they were made to sweat for it. They also showed that they can do it away from home with a dramatic 3 -2 come back win at Rufaro against Kiglon last week, and seem strong and prepared enough to overhaul the Masvingo based FC Victoria. 3 – 1 to the hosts.
Hey, we are no authorities at this. This was arrived at after some amateur born throwing, the same technique we have been using to try to win the Lotto with no luck ever since we turned 18. So, you might fancy taking us on a Bone throwing competition and come up with your own predictions. Perfect the art now, because soon we shall be offering prizes for the most accurate predictions
This week, the local Premiership enters week number 18. Pacesetters Motor Action continue to lead the pack, and got some reprieve from Shabanie Mine yesterday who held their closest rivals Dynamos to a 1 all draw at Maglas Stadium in Zvishavane. The draw left the ten point gap between De Mbare and the Mighty Bulls firmly intact, as the Boys in Blue face their biggest fixture of the season, against old foes Highlanders at Babourfields. The Bulls date former Champions Monomotapa at Rufaro 24 hours earlier. Here is what we think will be the outcome:
Friday 24 Sept, 2010
Bantu Rovers Vs Eagles (Hartsfield Grounds)
The house that Methembe “Mayor” Ndlovu is building seems to be crumbling before it reaches window level. The relegation threatened “Thsova Guluva” need to find the points fast, and this just doesn’t appear to be the game they will do so. Eagles have not been at their best, but have shown that they may have the staying power to be in the Premiership for yet another season. A draw away from home will make the new Warriors Assistant Coach Friday Phiri a happy man, and he is almost assured of it.
This is not a game that many will be paying much attention to, but will have a huge bearing on the relegation dogfight come end of season. We think Eagles will go out there to avoid defeat, and they will be able to do so. A 1 all draw is most likely.
Saturday 25 Sept, 2010
Lengthens Vs. Douglas Warriors (Dzivarasekwa)
This will be a battle of old foes as Lengthens and Dougie settle issues that arise from their rivalry in the first division. Douglas Warriors had developed a reputation of being the near men of the Northern Region Division league as they would escort other teams, including The Happy People to the finishing line. They would now want to prove their mettle when they face one of the sides that once peeped them on promotion into the Premier League.
Life in the top flight hasn’t been easy for the Douglas Tanyanyiwa owned team, and with an injury likely to keep key player Admire Dzukamanja, arguably the most experienced in their rank out, they are likely to find the going tough at DZ. Lengthens do play well at Dzivarasekwa, and on a good day, they should be able to choke up a 2 – 0 win.
Monomotapa Vs. Motor Action (Rufaro)
Aside from the highly anticipated Battle of Zimbabwe Part II at B/F, this is easily the second biggest attraction this weekend. Given that it will be played a day before the Blue Army that supports Dynamos rallies behind its team at B/F, you can expect a lot of them to be there cheering on Monos.
Motor Action have become the latest rivals for De-Mbare, and the way they went about collecting maximum points in an ill tempered tie Vs. DeMbare earlier this season, plus how they have kept on collecting more on the trot, will sway thousands to back whoever they will be playing against. Monoz are likely to benefit heavily this Saturday. The former Champions have not been a convincing lot themselves. In fact ever since they won the Championship, they have failed to reproduce the form locally that saw them play in the group stages of the Orange CAF Champions League last season. They seem to have been content to do just enough to stay in mid table.
The game will be good, if not downright pulsating. But, supposing Alan Gahadzikwa and co. find their rhythm in the middle of the park, and William Kupera brings his shooting boots again, it is easy to expect another victory for the Joey Antipas coached side from Motor Action Sports Club. This is likely to end in a 2 - 1 win for the Bulls.
Shooting Starts Vs. Kiglon (Gwanzura)
Its very difficult to rate Shooting Starts’ performance this season. They have really been on and off, from being blasted 3 – 0 from a confidence lacking Caps United to bravely holding a marauding Motor Action goalless last week. One never knows what really to expect when they march onto the turf at Gwanzura come Saturday afternoon.
Kiglon’s performances will also not do much to help us predict what thy can do. Only last week, they showed how self destructive they can be when they allowed a seemingly out of sorts Hwange side come from 2 goals down to win the match at Rufaro. Give them Dynamos or Caps, and you will see the best out of Kiglon. Against other so called small teams, they become punching bags.
Having said that, we think veteran Elliot Matsika will once again rise to the occasion and give Coach Gishon “Gizha” Ntini something to smile about, come end of Saturday. A 1 – 0 win for the Stars is likely.
Sunday 26 Sept, 2010
Caps United Vs. Black Mambas (Rufaro)
If there is a side that is exciting to watch these days, it is none other than the yellow coloured Green Machine. Maybe the much talked about yellow strip was a sign of maturity that the team has attained since Moses “Bambo” Chunga took over from Lloyd “Llodza” Chitembwe a few weeks ago. Chunga has chalked up four wins on the trot, a no mean feat given that victory had eluded Chitembwe’s side for so long. Zimsoccerfans believe there is more to underperformance of a team than just the coach, but there comes a time when a coach just can’t find it in him to motivate the players, and a new one can come and use the same players to do wonders. This is what we feel Chunga is doing at Caps right now.
What makes this fixture interesting though is the fact that Mambas themselves have been going through some sort of mini revival. After sponsors Twalumba Holdings poured in some cash, and some high profile campaigners like ex Dynamos goalkeeper Willard Manyatera, Defender William Mapfumo as well as ex Lengthens and Warriors fringe striker Richard Mteki joined them, things have been sort of looking up for the police side. Technical Director Madinda Ndlovu will be hard pressed to justify his recent puzzling appointment into the Warriors technical team, and will hope his team will be buoyed by their 1 – 1 draw with his boyhood team Highlanders, to string a surprise against a highly jovial Makepekepe side. It will be a toll order.
Inasmuch as we love the David Vs. Goliath story, we are afraid we are not expecting miracles in this one. If Manyatera is able to keep the scoreline below 3, he would have done a great job. This shall go to Kepekepe and Chunga at 3 – 0
Gunners Vs. Shabanie Mine (National Sports Stadium)
The Champions seems to be another side on a revival. They have all of a sudden re-emerged to take up a top four place, just at a time when we were about to forget who the holders are. Norman Maroto has kept his goal scoring touch from last season, and might become one of the few modern day players to make it onto the Soccer Stars calendar for two consecutive years. It’s been a rarity these days. With his boots on, Shabanie might be in for a toast.
However, the asbestos miners have not been bad themselves, especially given that they are coming to Harare on the back of holding giants Dynamos 1 -1 at Maglas. But then again, one will be quickly reminded that that was at Maglas. John Ncube’s side play a shoddy game the moment they leave Zvishavane and that is likely to see them go down to 2 more goals from Norman Maroto, and they would have done well to offer a response. 2 - 1 to Gunners!
Highlanders Vs. Dynamos (Babourfields)
Those in the know call this the Battle of Zimbabwe Part II. It’s by far the Pick of the Week, and it wouldn’t have come at a better time, tension wise. The last time the two met, it couldn’t be settled on footballing terms. Now the High Court has been called in to try and force a re-match. Rivalries hardly come any bigger than this. Forget that Highlanders have not been at their best, or that De-Mbare have been the punching bag of their Orange CAF Champions League group. All of a sudden, all the underperformers find their rhythm. These are the kinds of games that turn players’ careers up side down, as well as down side up. Ask a guy called Dimitre Bebatov what games of this nature do to your confidence.
Although he led his side in some grueling encounters on the African safari, Dynamos Coach Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe will find no better match than his first one in charge, the one that saw his side, led by one Cuthbert Malajila clobber Bosso 4 – 0 one Sunday afternoon at Rufaro last season. Highlanders’ fans will breathe a sigh of relief there is no Malajila to talk about this time.
The best we will hope for is that this one will see the full ninety minutes being played. Even if its so, we doubt there will be anything to separate the two sides. Yes, a draw will do more harm to De Mbare than Bosso, and De Mbare have a knack of playing their best at B/F, but we got this hunch this one will see a share of spoils, and sorry to the fans, we don’t see no goals being scored. Both strike forces have been so blunt in front of goal this season. It will be good, explosive, entertaining, very good value for money, but no goals. 0 - 0.
Hwange Vs. FC Victoria (Colliery)
This one seems to be a no brainer. Hwange are tough at home, ask Motor Action. They might have come up with three points, but they were made to sweat for it. They also showed that they can do it away from home with a dramatic 3 -2 come back win at Rufaro against Kiglon last week, and seem strong and prepared enough to overhaul the Masvingo based FC Victoria. 3 – 1 to the hosts.
Hey, we are no authorities at this. This was arrived at after some amateur born throwing, the same technique we have been using to try to win the Lotto with no luck ever since we turned 18. So, you might fancy taking us on a Bone throwing competition and come up with your own predictions. Perfect the art now, because soon we shall be offering prizes for the most accurate predictions
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
They Too Must Be Judged?
Tempers are now kind of cooling, but the feeling that we were robbed is still there. Yes, we still recovering from the shock of ZIFA’s mind boggling choice of a Warriors mentor, but hey, life has to go on. It was yet another reminder that no matter how many times we have shouted ourselves hoarse urging the Warriors on, we the fans are far from calling the shots when it comes to the real issues. How we wish the ZIFA board was voted for in a public election like the Parliament, then we would have a real say. How can the people’s sport be so undemocratic?
Anyway, while we have conceded defeat for now, we still feel that there is still room for poetic justice in this whole thing. Ok, now we are pinning our hopes that those that call the shorts are more Zimbabwean than just holding passports that say so. We hope that there is some shade of wisdom in their appointing someone that pretenders to the Warriors throne called Namibia are disposing of. There is some semblance of sober mind that’s asking us not to speak too soon about the hairy one from Belgium since in Shona we say ungangoshora mbodza neinozvimbira. Being the Warriors supporters that we are, we sometimes have to do away with logic and support whoever pretends to direct the guys in green and gold. But that doesn’t mean that we are letting it seize and settle just like that. No, not when the stakes are this high! We have a demand to make!
Here is our line of thinking: everyone ought to stand up to the decisions they make, and if they are so confident that is the best course of action, they need to commit. You don’t just make such a key decision about the People’s decision, unless you are convinced it is for the best. We will what this Saintfiet is made of on the field of play, as early as next month when Cape Verde visits. Events will judge him, and his appointees, as usual, will have the luxury to fire him if they so wish, and possibly recall Mapeza to preide over dead rubbers after the foreigner has ensured we throw away enough points to miss our on the Big Guys’ showcase again.
We can’t continue to let those who have the somehow exclusive right to spend national resources on bringing Failures here continue to dilly dallying with our hearts without consequences. They too must be judged. Let’s call on them to back their decisions by committing to resign from the ZIFA Board if this Belgian experiment of theirs cost us a chance to dance with the best at the Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. We have admitted, no one would guarantee that Mapeza was definitely going to take the Warriors there, but neither can this Tommy guy. So, someone ought to have seen something in him the rest of us cant that he should be willing to bet their specials on this. So, let’s have it Selection Sub Committee! Let Saintief take us to AFCON 2012, or your seats at the Board become vacant.
If we could have even just one or two of our football leaders making such commitments, we would be miles ahead. The major problem is that these ZIFA people do not account to the people that matter. The ones who fork out hard earned US Dollars to watch our beloved Warriors hunt in the African Jungle. The ones whose diaphragms ache after ninety minutes of vuvuzela blowing, the ones whose voices go hoarse shouting for goals, the ones whose water ZINWA has shut after we ran up a huge bill cleaning up our faces which we had painted in red, gold, green, white and black. These are the people who make bets with their sweat each time the Warriors line up, and they deserve some sort of respect, especially from those who consistently break their hearts with some selfish and misguided decisions.
Anyway, while we have conceded defeat for now, we still feel that there is still room for poetic justice in this whole thing. Ok, now we are pinning our hopes that those that call the shorts are more Zimbabwean than just holding passports that say so. We hope that there is some shade of wisdom in their appointing someone that pretenders to the Warriors throne called Namibia are disposing of. There is some semblance of sober mind that’s asking us not to speak too soon about the hairy one from Belgium since in Shona we say ungangoshora mbodza neinozvimbira. Being the Warriors supporters that we are, we sometimes have to do away with logic and support whoever pretends to direct the guys in green and gold. But that doesn’t mean that we are letting it seize and settle just like that. No, not when the stakes are this high! We have a demand to make!
Here is our line of thinking: everyone ought to stand up to the decisions they make, and if they are so confident that is the best course of action, they need to commit. You don’t just make such a key decision about the People’s decision, unless you are convinced it is for the best. We will what this Saintfiet is made of on the field of play, as early as next month when Cape Verde visits. Events will judge him, and his appointees, as usual, will have the luxury to fire him if they so wish, and possibly recall Mapeza to preide over dead rubbers after the foreigner has ensured we throw away enough points to miss our on the Big Guys’ showcase again.
We can’t continue to let those who have the somehow exclusive right to spend national resources on bringing Failures here continue to dilly dallying with our hearts without consequences. They too must be judged. Let’s call on them to back their decisions by committing to resign from the ZIFA Board if this Belgian experiment of theirs cost us a chance to dance with the best at the Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. We have admitted, no one would guarantee that Mapeza was definitely going to take the Warriors there, but neither can this Tommy guy. So, someone ought to have seen something in him the rest of us cant that he should be willing to bet their specials on this. So, let’s have it Selection Sub Committee! Let Saintief take us to AFCON 2012, or your seats at the Board become vacant.
If we could have even just one or two of our football leaders making such commitments, we would be miles ahead. The major problem is that these ZIFA people do not account to the people that matter. The ones who fork out hard earned US Dollars to watch our beloved Warriors hunt in the African Jungle. The ones whose diaphragms ache after ninety minutes of vuvuzela blowing, the ones whose voices go hoarse shouting for goals, the ones whose water ZINWA has shut after we ran up a huge bill cleaning up our faces which we had painted in red, gold, green, white and black. These are the people who make bets with their sweat each time the Warriors line up, and they deserve some sort of respect, especially from those who consistently break their hearts with some selfish and misguided decisions.
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