Will it Still Be an African World Cup?

With a few days left before the kick off the first ever World Cup on African soil, reality is now dawning on many African soccer fans that the dream of an African World might remain just that. If they had been asked a few years back, many soccer supporters on the continent would have declared their participation in the world’s biggest single sport spectacle right in South Africa. Now, complicated visa requirements, the cost of travelling and inaccessibility of tickets will now exclude some of the continent’s most fervent followers of the game, who will have to now be content watching on television from home. Unfortunately for others in power deficit countries like Zimbabwe, they might even be excluded from watching the games even on TV.

Poor choices in terms of modes of selling tickets meant that many Africans, with limited access to the internet, could not buy tickets to the games. Furthermore, the SA government has maintained some strict visa requirements, including requiring one to have a given sum of money in their bank account, thus including more would be cheerleaders from the showcase. To add insult, the authorities even chose a non-African in Shakira to sing the theme song for the World Cup. This has been heavily criticised by many analysts, considering Africa vast musical talent.

Many will now hope for a good showing by Africa’s six representatives to give them something to cheer about the tournament.

What Justifies a Warriors Foreign Coach

Newly elected ZIFA President Cuthbert Dube has started living true to the colours of Zimbabwean Football adminstrators, staking his belief in a foreign coach for the Zimbabwean National Soccer Team, the Warriors. What is perplexing though is what the authorities at 53 Livingstone see in foreign coaches that some of us fail to see.

The only two coaches who have been able to take the Warriors to the African Cup of Nations are local, Sunday “Mhofu” Chidzambwa in 2004 and Charles Mlhauri two years later. Foreigners have failed to win even the regional COSAFA Cup, with Chidzambwa (twice), his brother Misheck and Mlhauri architecting Zimbabwe’s successes in the competition. Sunday Chidzambwa also guided Zimbabwe’s qualification for the maiden Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in Côte-d’Ivoire in 2009, and seems to have laid the foundation for a second qualification before sadly ending his second flirtation with the Warriors. Despite the success of the local boys, we once again start hearing the need to hire a foreign coach, purportedly from Germany. But why? We tend to ask.

The Warriors failed to make to the Africa Cup of Nations Finals in Angola early this year, and couldn’t make it to the second round of qualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup set to kick off in South Africa in a matter of weeks. During that forgettable time, they were under the tutelage of one Valinhos from Brazil. What gives Dube and his colleagues at ZIFA the next foreign coach is going to deliver? Many proponents of foreign coaches always rush to mention the late Reinhard Fabisch’s achievements with the Dream Team of the 90s, and conveniently forget that the Dream Team failed to qualify for the Cup of Nations.

Some high profile coaches have been hired and fired by ZIFA, all without achieving much with the Warriors. Clement Westerhof was holding an Olympic Gold Medal won with the Nigerian Under 23 team when he landed at Harare International Airport, while Ian Porterfield had rebuilt a Zambian side out of the ashes of the plane crash off the Gabonese coast to the Final of the Africa Cup of Nations, but both failed to take Zimbabwe to the holy grail. There is just something about our national team that makes it a preserve of the local coaches, and the sooner ZIFA realises that the better.

Dube’s assertion that a foreign coach was best suited for the Warriors job is not only perplexing, but senseless as well. He didn’t mention any names, but is very convinced a coach from German will do. Is it about the nationality or individual ability? Can we surely choose a coach for our beloved Warriors on the basis of nationality? If it be so, then the only nationality deserving this dispensation can only be none other than Zimbabwean.

To many Zimsoccerfans, it seemed obvious the resignation of Chidzambwa will give way to his understudy, ex Captain Norman Mapeza to take over. The young coach proved himself leading an unheralded Monomotapa side to the 2008 Premier League championship. He also had vast experience playing with and skippering the Warriors on the continent as well as at club level in Europe. Fine, he has been given the caretaking job, but does he not deserve a chance to be substantive?

If for some reason ZIFA does not feel “Nomara” is the man for the job, then lets look no further than another ex Captain and Mlhauri’s ex Assistant coach Moses “Bambo” Chunga. Like Mapeza, Chunga also led unfancied Gunners to a historic League Championship last year, and can be credited for building the current Gunners side that defeated the mighty Al Alhy of Egypt early this year. He seems to be the man for any side willing to rebuild, and has the Arsene Wenger touch of unleashing raw talent, which is what Zimbabwe needs right now, towards 2014.

Maybe ZIFA will talk of experience, and we will put up the name of deposed former mentor Rahman Gumbo who has been taking Southern Africa by storm. Gumbo has so far won the Zimbabwean, Malawian and of late Botswana Premier League with distinction, making him one of a kind in the region. It looks inevitable he will soon be following Chidzambwa’s footsteps in the great trek to South Africa; where we are confident he will also be rule the roost.

Maybe it will take a little more that what ZIFA can afford to lure Gumbo from Township Rollers in Botswana, but although it’s sad to admit, Mapeza and Chunga will be available to serve the nation at a fraction of what we might fork to bring a German or other foreign national to Zim. This makes Dube’s aspirations even more unjustifiable, given that his association reportedly owes Chidzambwa USD 67,000. Its surprising and heart rending that ZIFA prefers to use scarce national resources to pay foreign coaches who hardly bring glory to the country, while failing to pay “Sons of the Soil” who almost always deliver. It is also alleged that even Mlhauri is owed money by ZIFA, while Valinhos was paid his all when he was fired.

What then is the justification of going foreign when the costly foreigners have failed to bring Zimbabwe footballing glory? Perish the thought Mr. Dube.

Scratch My Back Time in the English Premiership

The photo finish in this season’s English Premiership League has created a very interesting scenario where those involved in the race for the top and fourth places find themselves doing their fiercest rivals favours, all in the name of the game. Champions Manchester United and their foes Manchester City, leaders Chelsea and London adversaries Tottenham Hotspurs and Merseysiders Liverpool will in the last three weeks of the season find themselves conducting night vigils in favour of their sworn enemies’ success, in an interesting turn of events not witnessed for a very long time in English football.

Paul Scholes’ last minute header at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday, coupled with Spurs’ inspired trouncing of leaders Chelsea hours later at White Hart Lane has triggered a very interesting scenario which will now see every match involving these teams attracting huge interest from those who would otherwise wish the most horrific and obscene defeat on them. Scholes solitary strike might have been recorded in one match, but it certainly had an effect on at least two other matches. One can easily contend that as the final whistle went in the Manchester derby, the euphoria caused by the goal osmosed into the London derby as Spurs built on that to beat Chelsea 2-1, and leapfrog City into fourth place.  Liverpool, who then beat ..., 3-0 on Monday night, also clearly derived inspiration from Scholes’ exploit as they kept their fight for 4^th place alive.

Fast forward one week and here is the interesting twist: As United take on Spurs at Old Trafford this Saturday afternoon, both City and Chelsea will find themselves doing the unimaginable: cheering on their erstwhile city antagonists. Chelsea will be hoping Spurs will help them put some breathing space between them and the chasing Red Devils, while City will pray United will help them get back into 4^th place by halting Spurs’ fairy tale run.

Despite facing the top 3 in their last 5 games, Harry Redknap’s men have proved their worth (just as Arsene Wenger challenged them to) and so far collected all 6 points on offer, ahead of the crunch tie at the Theatre of Dreams. Although success away to United has eluded Spurs over the years, the Londoners would not have asked for a better run up to the showdown, and their tails will be high.

And then there is Liverpool...

There is no secret to the intense rivalry between Man U and Liverpool, but guess what, the Merseysiders are United’s best bed mates to winning their fourth straight Championship. On the other hand, United can play a huge role in ensuring that Rafa Benitez’s Europa League semi finalists get another run in the prestigious European Champions league come August this year.

For that reason, on Saturday, the Kop will put its full force behind United and will be tempted to risk the injured Fernando Torres replacing the troubled and misfiring Wayne Rooney in the United attack, if only for this match. So in love are Liverpool’s followers with the European Cup that they must be willing to help United go one better than them in terms of league titles.

A Spurs win on the other hand, will imply victory at at least two fronts: the decimation of United’s title challenge to the joy of The Blues of London, and a guarantee for Champions league football for Redknap and co, to the obvious chagrin of Liverpool and City. Whichever way it goes, it will not be just the winners of the tie who will be popping champagne.

Suppose United scratch Liverpool/City’s backs and dethrone Spurs on Saturday, the tables will turn 2 weeks later, when Liverpool host Carlo Ancelotti’s Blues at Anfield. It is many a pundit’s verdict that the penultimate clash at Anfield will be the decider, not just of the Championship, but the English representation in the 2010/11 Champions League. The Reds of Manchester and Liverpool will once more be forming an alliance to defeat the Blues of London and Manchester’s cause. The Citizens will find themselves switching allegiance and routing for a Chelsea win, just as Spurs will also be expecting a huge favour from the Roman Abramovich owned side. If they would have succeeded in beating or even holding United at Old Trafford, Spurs will certainly be demanding nothing less than their pound of Liverpool’s flesh from Chelsea.

Talk of Unholy Alliances...

I see Gunners Thru...

This weekend, Zim’s 4 reps in continental football, Gunner, Dynamos, Caps Utd and Lengethens return to the African Safari with very mixed chances of going thru.

It is expected to be done and dusted for traditional giants, De-Mbare, given their crucial win in the DRC against FC Lupopo. It will be a real shocker if De-Mbare were to fail to sail thru.

Kepekepe made life difficult for themselves for failing to come to the party against neighbouring Moroka Swallows. However, matches between Zimbabwean and SA teams are always difficult to predict, and they may be able to salvage something across the Limpopo. Remember Ajax and Monos last year?

I find it difficult to even start talking about the not so Happy People of Lengthens. It will be one of the greatest comebacks of my football supporting life is by some unimaginable chance, we will still talking about them in the next round of the Confed Cup. They trail 3 – 0 going into an away leg to Simba SC of Tanzania. Well, their game was over by half time in the first leg.

The most poised match for me is the Gunners – Alhy match at the Cairo International Stadium in Egypt on Friday night. I know not many are very keen on Gunners chances going into this game, which is understandable given Alhy’s pedigree on the continent. In fact, I was taken aback by the seeming silence by the mainstream continental football media on Alhy’s loss at Rufaro. It seems they were all saying, “Well, it’s just a slip up away from home, they will recover back in Cairo”. And they (Alhy) indeed are expecting it to be an easy overturn.

Even after putting patriotism aside, I have this hunch about Gunners actually dumping Alhy out of this one, to make the importance of Maroto’s goal at Rufaro finally dawn on everyone. After watching them at Rufaro, not that they played anything out of the ordinary Gunners game, I just felt that Gunners have what it takes to dump Alhy out of this year’s competition, and shock the footballing continet.

This match kind of reminds me of the Dynamos – Etoille du Sportive Sahel match of March 2008. Etoille, were the defending Champions when they came to face De Mbare at Gwanzura. De Mbare played a very ordinary game, and some might even say they survived as the then dangerous teen Charmiti missed a number of seaters in the Etoille front line. Just like Gunners, De Mbare ground out a 1 – 0 win, courtesy of a Desmond Maringwa header.

Going to Tunis, many thought 1 – 0 was no toll order for Etoille to overhaul. Guess what the final scoreline was, 0-1 in favour of De Mbare, Maringwa again. Goalkeeper Willard Manyatera played arguably the best game of his entire career to date. This was most unexpected and made headlines. Only the Die hard De Mbare fans expected a win out of Tunis, a draw would have been good enough. Just to put the feat into perspective, Etoille had won the Cup in 2007 by overhauling Alhy 3 -1 in Cairo, with Charmiti starring.

Can Gunners re-write the De Mbare script? Maybe in exact words, but a favourable result is in sight. There is no doubting that Maroto might strike again in Cairo, and that is going to make life tuff for Alhy. They will get into this game expecting Gunners to park the pass and absorb the pressure, but I am sure Darlington Dodo will know better than that. In Tafadzwa Dube, they also have a potent match winner between the posts. By their body language at Rufaro, Alhy don’t expect a tuff time in Cairo, but Gunners are capable of frustrating them, and frustrated they can be. This will be the chance for the unheralded Gunners players to rise to be counted in African football, and just like the De Mbare fairy run to the semis in 2008, this may just be the result Gunners need to perform an unprecedented act in their debut season in African football. Most importantly for Zhuwawo and co, if they loose, its no big deal, but if they win...? So why not?

Dube Elected. What if the Owners of the Game Where Voting?

So, Cuthbert Dube has finally been elected to the post of ZIFA Chairman, in one of the eagerly anticipated ZIFA elections of all time. From a fan's perspective, does this call for any hope for the better?
For once in Zim football, we have two men who have put considerable resources into the game running the two most important organisations, Dube at ZIFA and Twine Phiri at the PSL. Dube formed and sponsored Buymore, which later became CAPS FC and eventually merged with Joe Sengeredo's Shooting Stars. Phiri is the President and main sponsor of Premiership giants CAPS Utd. Does this mean they will take issues more seriuosly, for the benefit of the fans. We only wait to see.
Dube might have been a better candidate over and above his controversial rival Leslie Gwindi, but then again, he is going to be working with and was supporting Ndumiso Gumede to the post of First VP. Gumede was once embroiled in controversy with regards to the FIFA Goal project. This leaves us with the question of whether Zim football fans really got the ZIFA they wanted out of these elections?
This calls for a re-look at the participation of football fans in Zim. Yes, we might not have the personal resources to sponsor their candidature into these offices, but we bankroll the game through our USD 3 we pay to get into Vietnam or Empankweni at BF. The electoral system does very little to give us the voice we want.
The so called ZIFA council which is the electoral body of the association has been dismissed as a toothless institution which only surfaces at elections, possibly after having been given a dollar or two to vote for the monied men. Its time to come up with ways in which we can influence things here.
Lets go back and become card carrying members of our teams, and thus start influencing the processes at the grassroots. From there, we elect the right people to be in the administration of our clubs, who time and again then end up coming up to run the associations. That way, we will have our own man being up there, with our mandate. The constitutions of the variuos associations must also make it possible for us to maintain checks and balances, and "recall" those who will be responsible for shaming our beloved Warriors, making them bath in mineral water and hang their clothing by the fence at Rufaro.
Zimsoccerfan.