Refs must learn from Tangawarima
EDITOR — Seven-time Zimbabwe Referee of the Year Felix Tangawarima, whose exploits as the 12th man has seen him being accorded a well-deserved place on the influential Confederation of African Football’s referees committee, is a perfect model for our local football referees.
He should be a motivational figure to our blundering local football officials.
His appointment to the CAF Referees administration committee is an indirect positive “challenge” to our local football referees who have been on the receiving end as a result of their blundering officiating of late.
Despite all the poor, questionable, controversial and often biased officiating as well as deteriorating class among our football referees, it’s pleasing that one of our own is being accorded all the respect, recognition he duly deserves.
Tangawarima, who is a FIFA instructor and heads the COSAFA Referees Committee, is one of the finest ever football official this country has produced and thus our local referees who blunder a lot need to be inspired by his success.
To his credit, Tangawarima has held training courses around Africa as part of disseminating his exploits under the FIFA Referee Assistance Programme.
However, our local referees need to benefit more from such programmes so as to enhance their officiating skills.
Tangawarima is a perfect model of the ultimate referee who is near to perfection, blameless and with an in-depth knowledge of the rules of the game.
Thus his continued rise; his achievements should drive and motivate local football referees so as to improve the standards of the game.