AMBITIOUS Premiership side Bulawayo Chiefs, formed slightly over a decade ago, won the country’s premier knockout tournament — the Chibuku Super Cup last weekend.
For a team that finished 13th in the 18-team Premier Soccer League in 2019, surviving relegation by a whisker, Chiefs’ Chibuku Super Cup triumph was all the more remarkable.
The Twitter King’s Chibuku Super Cup triumph is even more spectacular when one considers the fact that Zimbabwe’s premier knockout tournament has been elusive to football giants Dynamos and CAPS United since its return to the local scene in 2013.
Under normal circumstances, the Bulawayo side, which earned premiership status just three years ago, could have fittingly put the icing on the cake by participating in the Caf Confederation Cup, a privilege that comes with winning the country’s most prestigious knockout tournament.
Sadly, for Chiefs, they can only watch from the sidelines as Zimbabwe is currently suspended from international football due to the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC)’s refusal to reinstate the Zifa board led by Felton Kamambo.
The Gerald Mlotshwa-led SRC’s decision to defy Fifa has also proved costly to FC Platinum, who have been denied the opportunity participate in the money-spinning Caf Champions league, despite recently winning the league title for a fourth straight year — to become only the third club in the country’s history to achieve such a feat after Dynamos and Highlanders.
Apart from huge pickings that come with participating in Africa, it’s also a huge marketing opportunity for players and coaches to attract the attention of scouts representing teams in more professional leagues all over the world.
Football analysts who spoke to the Daily News on Sunday had no kind words for the SRC for robbing Bulawayo Chiefs and FC Platinum of their moment of glory. The Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association (ZNSSA) founding president Eddie “Mboma” Nyatanga accused the SRC of denying local clubs the chance to test themselves against some of the best football teams on the continent.
“This is no longer football, it’s something else. The SRC is killing our football. The SRC needs to do what Fifa wants. We can’t continue like this,”
Mboma told the Daily News on Sunday. “We need to do the right things. SRC should allow councillors to make decisions at Zifa not to remote-control things there. It’s wrong at all levels. Players and coaches’ careers are being destroyed by people who have never been at a football stadium. “We all know what Fifa want.
They told us about the forensic audit but there is nothing in that report. Their audit is not clear, it’s actually incomplete. It’s not saying anything. It’s better to fix our football whilst we are playing. “A lot of stakeholders, especially sponsors, are likely to withdraw from the game. This is not helping anyone.
Our patience is running out. We can’t continue to entertain them (SRC) like this. These players at Chiefs and Platinum need to market themselves in Africa. This an opportunity for players to impress and they are being denied that chance by selfish individuals.”
Recently, Mlotshwa’s response when asked about possible timelines to approach Fifa for Zimbabwe’s readmission into international football left fans of the beautiful game very disappointed. “The lifting of the suspension I think I have made myself clear, it’s not a priority at all. I’ll be quite frank, let’s get that out of our heads,” a defiant Mlotshwa said while presenting the Zifa forensic audit recently.
“We (SRC) together with Zifa will approach Fifa and formally ask for the lifting of that suspension when we feel that we are ready to do so… the reform process will be an ongoing process and it might even outlive you.”
Fifa disapproves of governmental interference in the running of member associations and has banned countries from all forms of football as a result in the past. Interestingly, since SRC’s decision to suspend Zifa, the local game has sunk further into abyss with nothing being done to improve it.
Already, Zimbabwe were left out of the 2023 Afcon qualifiers and the Cosafa Cup, while the Mighty Warriors and local clubs were also not spared as they missed out in regional and international tournaments like Caf Champions League and the Confederation Cup.
Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas believes the dragging of heels by the SRC over the reinstatement of the suspended Zifa board has cast a shadow over the future of the sport and stunted the growth of several players, who earn a living through the sport. Antipas, who first participated in Africa with Motor Action and later on with the Gamecocks, is a concerned man.
“To win a trophy that takes you to Africa means a lot for any coach and players alike. I remember the excitement among the technical team and players when we won the title with Motor Action, which took me for my maiden dance in Africa,” Antipas said. “The feeling is priceless. And it’s unfortunate Chiefs will not be able to participate in Africa because of the Fifa suspension. It was supposed to be their maiden appearance in Africa after so much hard work. I can feel for the coach there and the players.
“The same applies to FC Platinum, who have been there before. But having played in Africa before does not wipe off the excitement. There are a lot of rewards that comes with playing in Africa. For instance, it’s a great opportunity for players to market themselves as well as coaches.
“If a player does well in Africa you obviously get an opportunity to be recognised. A lot of scouts will be following. So, it’s important to rub shoulders with the best. It’s also an opportunity to learn about new modern football trends from some top teams in Africa.
The exposure is important. “For any coach and player to miss such an important opportunity is really sad. It hurts a lot not to participate. There is nothing much I can say but I hope our football authorities will consider some of these things and save a lot of football careers.”
This is not the first time Mlotshwa’s SRC have caused the suspension of a local sporting body. In 2019, Zimbabwe were only reinstated as a member of the ICC after the SRC bowed down to pressure and lifted the suspension of the Tavengwa Mukuhlani-led Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) board.
The decision by the SRC not to reinstate Zifa just like they did with the ZC board three years ago has left leading local football analyst James “Maobla” Chiwaro baffled. “The whole thing is now confusing. What SRC intend to achieve with their decision is not adding up,” Chiwaro told the Daily News on Sunday.
“By now I had hoped SRC would have resolved the issue, the same way they did with our cricket some few years ago. What these guys are failing to realise is that they are destroying careers and it’s really sad.
“On their part, they are pursuing their careers but how about these footballers? This must not be allowed to continue. Someone needs to put an end to all this. The most painful thing is that we are losing talent and it’s sad.” Chiwaro continued: “Sometimes you wonder if these guys really know what they are doing.
Everyone knows that Fifa do not compromise on these issues of government interference, but they insist on having Fifa see things the SRC way. It’s baffling. “The guys in Kenya had this same attitude that the SRC has, but they realised the folly of their actions and did exactly what Fifa demanded, which is to reinstate the football leadership they had suspended.
“So, the sooner the … SRC realise that they are hitting against a brick wall the better, otherwise all those young players who are missing out on international exposure will see their careers destroyed.” Former Warriors coach Wieslaw Grabowski concurred with Chiwaro and is particularly concerned by the growth of coaches owing to lack of international exposure.
“But the problem is the same thing that I’ve said before: You won (FC Platinum) but there is no champions league football. It’s sad because from here who are (coaches) going to play against — some Mickey Mouse select? “I’m sorry for Mapeza because he needs to be playing in the champions league to help him develop as well at that level.
I hope the SRC will do as Fifa has told them because that’s the only way Zimbabwe can be re-admitted into international football. Practically, SRC should do like what Kenya did. My biggest worry is that Zimbabwe is missing out on much-needed money from Fifa at a time they need it the most.”
