The Sunday Mail
Sir: 18area.coms
WE are slowly perfecting the art of making excuses and threatening to lodge complaints each time our national soccer teams lose, aren’t we?
Just last Sunday we bowed out of the Africa Nations Championships after losing to a better Namibian side on penalties.
And instead of conceding defeat, we went in search of excuses.
Heeee that penalty should have been retaken, heeee Namibia used foreign-based players, heeee Zifa must have stuck to their plan of having Rahman Gumbo take charge of the Chan squad.
Come on good people!
There are days, like last Sunday, when our destiny appears written in the stars and no matter how much we try, the script points to a sad ending.
If we are to be honest, the Brave Warriors were the better warriors at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday. They deserve to march on into the final qualifying round.
And please give Herbert Rusawo some breathing space.
The penalty lottery always produces villains and the Black Rhinos goalie was unfortunate to be the fall guy this time around.
The goalkeeper is apologising at every corner and Yours Truly will not be surprised that there is a night he woke shouting sorry this past week.
“As I have always said, I am very sorry to everyone. I normally convert from the spot, but on that particular occasion the Namibian goalkeeper read me well and was able to save the spot kick,” Rusawo said midweek.
“I felt very bad realising that I had let everyone down. As someone who normally scores from the spot I just thought I would do everything right, but well it was not to be. I am still struggling to come to terms with the debacle.”
Amid the excuse-hunting mission, we have conveniently forgotten to ask why Sunday Chidzambwa made wholesale changes to the team that played the first leg.
We have forgotten to ask why Marshal Mudehwe even wore that Warriors shirt let alone start the second leg.
We forget to ask pertinent questions and major on the minor.
But before the senior national team was jettisoned from Chan, the Under-17’s got a good smacking at the Cosafa tournament – losing all their three group matches.
Moses “Bambo” Chunga’s youngsters lost 0-1 to Mauritius, 1-2 to Botswana and 0-5 to Malawi. And Chunga had excuses as well.
“If you look at Zambia and Malawi, they are like our players whom we left behind at home since they did not meet the criteria. Their calves are heavily built, their physique and knowledge of football is more advanced,” he groused.
And he wasn’t done. The weather was also blamed.
“When we arrived here last week it was raining and the following day the heat was unbearable, so many factors are contributing here and the players are failing to acclimatise.”
How about that for excuses?
Did we select the best talent available? How many chances did we create during these matches?
If there is any person who owes the nation an apology it is Chunga, not Rusawo.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach has a statement he always drops in post-match interviews: “Football will humble you.”
And Pitso is right. Let’s get the basics right and cut the excuses.
Sir exits the scene!
Sir is a social media commentator and can be contacted at [email protected]
