On The Ball: Charles Mabika “We need continuity with the Warriors”

 ON THE BALL – by Charles Mabika

THE recent announcement by ZIFA president Cuthbert Dube that the Warriors will be disbanded makes interesting reading.

Following the national soccer team’s failure to qualify for the next round in the race for a ticket to the 2015 AFCON finals in Morocco by low-ranked Tanzania, who were then bundled out by Mozambique, it was always going to be a “Catch 22” situation on the fate of the senior national team.

Wheels were then set in motion after Ian “Dibango” Gorowa resigned last week as the Warriors head coach.

In announcing the disbandment of the Warriors, Dube stressed the need to revamp the nation’s junior development policy, from the Under-13s right up to the Under-23s, with the latter scheduled to participate in the qualifiers of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Those qualifiers get underway soon.

Whilst on wholesale value the action by Dube seems realistic and commendable (but, hey, why did we have to wait till now to start concentrating on junior development?), I sincerely hope that the people who will be appointed to head these national junior squads are the right ones.

I’m not advocating for anyone in particular right now, but latest indications for the Under-23 mentor’s position point to Dynamos’ gaffer Callisto Pasuwa.

If this is indeed true, then I think ZIFA have got it spot on because for continuity purposes, “Manabhunu” was the first choice taking into account his number two position to Gorowa in the last Warriors technical set-up.

I have always been an advocate of the “catch them while they are still young” policy and have been grossly disappointed at the lack of liaison between ZIFA and the two most important organs of the junior game — the National Association of Primary School Heads (NAPH) and the National Association of Secondary School Heads (NASH).

For so many years, I have found time to attend most primary and secondary schools tournaments and have been utterly disillusioned by officials from the national association and most of our Premiership coaches who never bother to turn up to watch these youngsters in action.

I have watched many skilful youngsters neglected after failing their “O” or “A” Level examinations and they have resultantly disappeared from the game.

Of course, you are all too familiar with how the Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 squads only get remembered when there is a Zone Six or Cosafa, African Youth tournament around the corner and we see them being hastily assembled!

One only needs to look at one player — Peter Ndlovu — to realise that had it not been for the guidance and support of arguably the greatest junior developer of all time, the inimitable Ali “Baba” Dube (with a little bit of help, of course, from a few others), “Nsukuzonke” might not even have become a gem that he turned out to be.

ZIFA need to look at people like Ali Dube, former teachers and headmasters like Sylvester Machaka, Tonderai Choga, Austin Hakunavanhu, Anthony Mhene and current NASH president Johnson Madhuku and his head-in-charge of soccer Alex Macheka when they sit down to decide those who will spearhead junior soccer development’s administration and technical set-ups.

However, we should not forget about the senior national team in its entirety because I think total disbandment is not completely advisable.

Fine, we might be out of international competitions for the next two years, but what do we do with our most potent and young players like Knowledge Musona, Ovidy Karuru, Artwell Mukandi, Gabriel Nyoni, Tendai Hove, Khama Bhilliat, Tendai Ndoro, Matthew Rusike and Partson Jaure, who will all not be eligible to play in the 2016 Olympic qualifiers, but will definitely have to be active somehow until we “resuscitate” the Warriors?

So, in my opinion, ZIFA need to come up with continuity and a back-up mechanism to make sure that the production’s conveyor belt is not partly shredded.

The Germans are probably the best in harvesting from youth development. No wonder they reaped the rewards after they won the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament.

Do you know that more than half of that side which beat Argentina 1-0 in that memorable final were part of their Under-21 squad that had also won the European Under-21 Championship title in 2009?

Thus, we cannot separate development and absolute continuity.

Remember, Russia 2018 is not too far away, is it?

When the draw sfor the first round of the re-launched Chibuku Super Cup (formerly Chibuku Trophy) was done last week, I was left almost dumb founded at the tricky ties in all the encounters! No team can safely say they are through to the next round.

Just look at these fixtures (which are scheduled to be played from this coming Friday to Sunday) once again — Highlanders vs Shabanie Mine; ZPC Kariba vs Harare City; Dynamos vs Black Rhinos; CAPS United vs Chapungu; Hwange vs Triangle United; Buffaloes vs Chiredzi FC; FC Platinum vs Bantu Rovers; How Mine vs Chicken Inn. The great Pele rightly coined football’s most famous phrase: “The world’s most beautiful game”. But he forgot to add four more words: “and most unpredictable”!

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