Tendai Chara
The 2013 African Cup of Nations’ final qualifying draw that saw the Warriors being paired against Angola has received mixed views from the popular sport’s stakeholders. 

In interviews carried by The Sunday Mail, stakeholders were divided over the Warriors’ chances of making it to South Africa.
The majority of those interviewed bemoaned the decision by Knowledge Musona to temporarily step aside from Warriors duties, saying that Musona’s contribution to the national team must never be underrated.

The Asiagate scandal was also mentioned by the majority of those interviewed, with calls for Zifa to conclude the matter before the two-legged qualifier. 
Tenant Chilumba, the Hwange coach and reigning Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Coach of the Year, says the Warriors face a “tricky” assignment against Angola.

“This is a tricky assignment. Angola is a good side. The national team coach must start working on the team now. He must work on the team’s finishing and must also form his team around a core of locally based players.
“The national team must not be the responsibility of the head coach alone. Instead, he must get other coaches to assess the local players and give him the recommendations.

“That is what we do in Zambia and if you look at the team that won the Africa Cup of Nations last year, it was made up of most locally based players,” Chilumba said.
He added that Rahman Gumbo must not depend entirely on foreign-based players.
Bheki Nyoni, the president of the Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches’ Association (Zisca), said that if Zifa “does not put its house in order,” the Warriors might fail to make it to South Africa next year.

“With the way Zifa is running its affairs, we don’t seem to be in a position to qualify for South Africa. Our main problem is our planning.
“We need to put our house in order and I am sorry to say that our administrators are yet to show any signs of being serious,” Nyoni said.  Nyoni said that the decision by Knowledge Musona to excuse himself from national duties spells doom for the Warriors.

“The question that I beg an answer is: without Musona, who is going to score for us in Angola? Someone was saying we can have replacements from the Under-23s, but again who will fit into Musona’s boots from the Under-23s? Without Musona, we are in a far worse situation than we were during past assignments,” Nyoni moaned.

Other stakeholders, like Eddie “Mboma” Nyatanga, the president of the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters’ Association (ZNNSA), sees things differently.
“This is the easiest draw for the Warriors. We shouldn’t be asking for anything better than this. What we need to do now is to work together for the good of the Warriors.

“Zifa must make sure that the Asiagate is put to its logical conclusion before the qualifier so that all the efforts are channelled towards qualification. Angola can be beaten home and away,” Mboma said.
His counterpart, Tendai “T-Buns’’ Zhakata, of the Warriors Friends Club (WFC), said the friendly internationals the Warriors were invited to in Botswana should mark the start of the preparations for the Angola tie.

“The Warriors will get an opportunity to fine-tune themselves in Gaborone at the four-nation tournament and Zifa have also said there will be another friendly international on the Fifa date next month so we have struck the right chord this time. We just need to maintain this focus until we play Angola in September,’’ said T-Buns.

Amon Makwara, a former Kiglon team manager, is optimistic that the Warriors will sail through to the finals after beating Angola.
However, Makwara, like Nyoni, said that if the Warriors are to prevail against Angola, Zifa must introduce a number of changes.
“The Warriors are capable of qualifying, but I think they can only do so under the guidance of Norman Mapeza.

“The Asiagate scandal must also be concluded and Knowledge Musona must make a U-turn and don the Warriors shirt,” Makwara said.
Felix Dzukwa, a prominent Dynamos supporter, said the draw was fair.
“Angola is not a strong team. What the Warriors need to do is to win at home and manage a draw away.

“As supporters, we will miss Knowledge Musona. Zifa and the player must reach a compromise,” concluded Dzikwa.