The Sunday Mail
Sir 18area.coms
KALLISTO PASUWA has been exposed on the grand stage a countless times and the time has come for us to start asking serious questions about this Madzibaba coach of ours. Tomorrow the Warriors take on Tunisia in their last group match at the ongoing 31st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations and anything short of victory will see them – and Yours Truly – coming back home.
The defeat to Senegal on Thursday still has its bitter taste in my mouth.
I have struggled to enjoy the sea food here ever since that forgettable night, the night when Pasuwa once again found himself out of depth and clueless.
He was one inch shy of an inch.
On social media I have come across arguments that claim that Senegal were in a class of their own and there was no way in hell we were going to beat them.
It’s a wishy-washy argument, an argument being propelled by a clique that seeks to insulate Pasuwa from scrutiny.
This Senegal side is nothing special, they fell to Bafunny Bafunny, sorry Bafana Bafana, in a World Cup qualifier in November last year.
The Lions of Teranga did not produce any out of this world stuff to beat us 2-0, our team self destructed as the coach stood like a Zombie in humid conditions.
With Pasuwa directing or misdirecting operations, we played into Senegal’s hands and could have paid the full price if it wasn’t for Tatenda Mukuruva’s heavenly performance.
The same mistakes which cost us a win against Algeria in that opening game were replete against Senegal – blind passes, failure to maintain the defensive shape when attacking and poor decision making.
Even Stevie Wonder would have made more accurate passes than some of our so called Warriors did.
Yet all this happened under the eyes of a coach who always speaks of going back to the drawing board?
Maybe this time the drawing board in not here, maybe it was left kuMasowe in Chitungwiza because Pasuwa certainly didn’t go back to the drawing board nor learn from the first match.
Let me put a disclaimer here, my emotions are running high because Pasuwa and his technical team of yes-men appear to be colluding to cut my stay in this country short.
Do they know how difficult it is to learn French inside a week in preparation for saying the famous je t’aime (I love you) to a Gabonese angel?
Mathematically we are still in with a chance.
If Algeria fails to beat the already qualified Senegal and we beat Tunisia, we will take our place in the last eight.
But this is Zimbabwe.
When such permutations are on the table we are as competent as Satan on the slopes of the Alps, he suffers a meltdown.
There has been little to suggest that Pasuwa – who struggled to make an impression in the Caf Champions League with Dynamos – has an ace up his sleeve.
Pity Caps United are not here, they would have assisted him win like they did with two of the four league titles he won with DeMbare.
Unless Tunisia lose this game we won’t win it because our coach is tactically sterile and finds comfort in being surrounded by yes-men.
Pio Mhizha is a kit manager who also claims to be a prophet, and the two assistant coaches – Mkhupali Masuku and Saul Chaminuka –know they are here in Gabon because of their boss’ benevolence.
They would kiss his rear than call him out.
Mathew Rusike starts ahead of Tendai Ndoro, Cuthbert Malajila still gets a run and Elisha Muroiwa as nervous as he is still makes the starting XI?
Is there an alternative voice in that dressing room?
Mathew Rusike was out of his depth in the Algeria match and to see him getting that jersey on Thursday was bewildering and an insult to all Zimbabweans.
He did something alright.
He ran around, was blown like the wind, broke sweat.
He was as useless as a gynecologist at a heart surgery.
Ultimately the fault lies at the hands of the coach who decided to field him.
But then again for a guy who can’t pick competent assistant coaches, a competent team is probably beyond Pasuwa.
Sir exits the scene!
Sir is social media commentator and writes this satirical column in his personal capacity. Feedback [email protected]
