ZIFA’s decision to impose an arbitrary ban on four members of the Zimbabwe squad that participated at the previous Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals in Gabon will come under the spotlight when the Warriors host Liberia at the National Sports Stadium today.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The Warriors will take on the Lone Star of Liberia in a 2019 Afcon qualifier without the quartet of former captain, Willard Katsande and three other senior players — Nyasha Mushekwi, Cuthbert Malajila and Matthew Rusike.
Although Warriors coach Norman Mapeza insists that the players were not in his plans, the players were reportedly not considered for selection at the behest of Zifa president, Philip Chiyangwa.
The Zifa boss was recently quoted in some sections of the media declaring that the four “mercenaries” would never play for the Warriors as long as he was at the helm of the local football governing body.
The quartet is accused of leading a mutiny that saw the team snubbing a send-off dinner with vice-president Emmerson Mnangagwa on the eve of the team’s departure for the Afcon finals in Gabon late last year.
“There are players who will never, ever play for the national team during my tenure; in fact, during my football life. I emphasise never, ever,” Chiyangwa told a local newspaper before Mapeza had announced his squad.
“They kissed goodbye to the national team when they snubbed the acting president. They sabotaged us and some of them even tried to beat up my vice-president [Omega Sibanda].
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“They taught us lessons and the coach has been debriefed accordingly. We have told him to use any other players but not these players who are full of nonsense.”
Chiyangwa’s declaration, however, came at a time when the Sports and Recreation Commission is yet to release its findings after setting up a commission of inquiry to investigate the problems that led to the boycott.
Although Mapeza seemed to rubber-stamp Zifa’s ill-advised decision by omitting the quartet from his squad without following due process, the association will hold him responsible should the Warriors fail to beat Liberia today.
While the duo of Malajila and Katsande seemed to be headed towards the end of their international careers, Mushekwi and Rusike still had a lot to offer to the Warriors.
Mushekwi has been scoring for fun in the highly-competitive Chinese League One and last Sunday notched up his 10th goal in 10 games to further cement his status as one of the best players in that league.
Rusike, on the other hand, has been making some good progress at Tunisia side Club Africain and could have provided the much-needed depth in Mapeza’s attack which is already missing a key player in Mamelodi Sundowns’ Khama Billiat, who has been ruled out of the tie with an ankle injury.
Zifa’s decision also had a negative impact on the unity in the Warriors camp following reports that some players seriously considered withdrawing from the squad in solidarity with their colleagues.
A defeat to Zimbabwe will inevitably open a can of worms with regards to the unfair axing of the four players.
The Warriors desperately need a winning start to brighten their chances of qualifying for the 2019 Afcon finals to be held in Cameroon.
One team from the four team group automatically qualifies for the continental football festival.
The other teams in the group are the Democratic Republic of Congo and Congo Brazzaville who met in the other game in Kinshasa yesterday.
