Sights, sounds from Gabon
ZIMBABWE’S participation in the Africa Cup of Nations Gabon 2017, which was pregnant with high expectations when it all started, but fi zzled into just another hie and bye affair, has come and gone, but emotive deliberations on where and how the Warriors got it wrong have been a subject of intense debate in meeting places, let alone on social media platforms.
The Warriors got off to a flying start with an impressive two-all stalemate against highly rated Desert Foxes of Algeria before they slumped to a morale sapping 0-2 defeat at the hands of technically superior Senegal.
The nightmarish Gabon experience ended in a 4-2 drubbing at the hands of Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, culminating into an early return home for the disgraced band of Warriors led by want-out coach, Kalisto Pasuwa.
As the debate on what should have been done and what not ought to have been done rages on, soccer fans and analysts have left no stone unturned in their analysis of the Gabon experience.
While some acknowledged that the Warriors were thrust into the deep end, in a pool widely perceived to be the group of death of the tournament, others felt that technical shortcomings were the greatest weakness for the Warriors.
Others felt that expecting the Warriors to go beyond the group stage was not reasonable given the shoddy preparations that have always been part of the Warriors’ camp, marred by scenes of player revolt and disgruntlement.
Below are some of the comments passed by former players, analysts, coaches and fans about the Warriors Afcon 2017 experience.
We did not play well during the whole tournament. We had a lot of respect for our opponents. Our boys never displayed meaningful football tactics and I do not think that is what they were told before they got onto the field of play.
Apart from that, the entire back four let us down. The introduction of in form Tendai Ndoro was way too late. If we look at the last match against Tunisia, Mushekwi was playing alone upfront. Players were coming too deep in midfield, yet we knew we had three defensive midfielders in Willard Katsande, Marvellous Nakamba and Danny Phiri.
In the match against Algeria we had done very well, but somehow we conceded goals unnecessarily. We gave them too much space in the midfield as well as too many short passes and poor communication. Hardlife Zvirekwi was physically and mentally not ready for that big stage. I never saw any meaningful cross from him like he does when playing for CAPS United. We now need to go back to the drawing board and plan for the next tournament while learning from the mistakes that we made in Gabon.
While I admit that we were playing against teams that had more depth in talent than us, I think we also made mistakes that cost us a last eight slot we could have easily secured. How can Pasuwa congest the midfield with defensive midfielders like that? It was clear testimony that he needs assistance.
Yes, in the match against Senegal I could tell that we were playing against a better side. They were better than us physically, technically, skill and everything. But in the other two matches we could have done better.
Pasuwa also ran out of ideas during some of the matches. Towards the end of the match against Senegal it was clear that the likes of Khama Billiat and others were tired, but somehow the coach did not see the need to substitute.
I think they did their best given that we all agreed even before the tournament that we are in a group of death. The match against Algeria raised hopes and we suddenly forgot that we are going to play teams that are much better than Algeria, hence in the end it was Algeria and us who went home first.
Yes, we had our shortcomings, but we must not really be hard on ourselves to the extent of failing to see even those areas that we did well and beyond expectation.
Expecting the Warriors to go beyond the group stage was not reasonable given the shoddy preparations that have always been part of the Warriors’ camp, marred by scenes of player revolt and disgruntlement.
We only had two friendly matches and I do not think that was enough for the team to gel.
Zifa also was guilty of making payments to players after concerns have been raised or after an industrial action had been staged.
That is not how a serious football playing nation must conduct business.
Be that as it may, the Afcon 2017 is now water under the bridge for the Warriors.
Coach Pauswa and his men are back home and focus for Zimbabwe in international football is now on the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers starting in September this year.