The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu Sports Editor —
KALLISTO PASUWA will have to do what he has done on several occasions before — back his assistants in the face of questions about the qualifications or lack thereof.
Zifa’s High Perfomance Committee recently asked the national team gaffer to go and ponder over the value that Saul Chaminuka and Mkhupali Masuku bring to the Warriors support.
But the timing of the inquest into the assistant coaches’ suitability has triggered accusations that some of its members are out to settle personal scores.
The HPC comprises chairman Omega Sibanda, Sunday Chidzambwa, Rahman Gumbo, Innocent Chogugudza, Masimba Chihohwa, Taurai Mangwiro and Moses Chunga.
Relations between Chunga and Masuku are reportedly strained after the pair fell out towards the end of the 2016 Premiership season at Harare City.
The Sunshine Boys jettisoned Chunga and replaced him with his erstwhile assistant Masuku. A maiden meeting between the HPC and Pasuwa held in the capital recently was tense as Chaminuka was put under the microscope over “coaching a recently promoted team in Swaziland.”
Masuku’s lack of a Caf A license saw questions being raised about the value he brings to the national team. Despite publicly backing his backroom staff on several occasions, it looks like Pasuwa will have to repeat himself again the next time he meets the HPC.
This is after the initial meeting asked him to “go and think over the issue.” Committee chair and Zifa vice president Sibanda insists there is nothing amiss about questioning the suitability of key personnel ahead of a key battle.
“The question the committee asked about the assistant coaches is a question any serious committee is expected to ask and we are a serious committee mind you,” said Sibanda.
“We didn’t ask Pasuwa to look for new assistants, no. All we did was analyse our technical department and asked the coach what he thought of it.
“He wasn’t put under pressure, we said ‘no coach go home and think over this matter and you give us your response the next time we meet’.
“There is no witch hunting, there is no settling of personal scores. It was a cordial meeting and we expect the next one to be cordial as well.”
Some members of the HPC have also been accused of trying to angle themselves for the trip to Gabon through elbowing out the assistant coaches.
However, Zifa boss Phillip Chiyangwa says that won’t be necessary as the “entire committee will be in Gabon watching from the stands.”
“This is a new thing and obviously there is some suspicion in some quarters but I won’t let that affect the team ahead of Gabon,” said Chiyangwa.
“The HPC is made up of experienced coaches and their job is to sit in the stands, analyse the game and give Pasuwa some pointers when they meet for the technical meetings.
“Members of this committee will watch from a distance and not be involved that much. The plan is to have them wherever the Warriors will be playing and plans are afoot to ensure that they will be at Afcon.”
