Top four battle takes centre stage
SEVEN days into 2017 the Warriors pulled out an abominable act. They snubbed an Africa Cup of Nations dinner that had then Acting President Emmerson Mnangangwa as the guest of honour. The players were protesting against the nonpayment of their allowances ahead of the tourney in Gabon, where they went on an equally disgraceful show.
We agree the lads had genuine grievances.
However, the way they chose to communicate was not the most ingenious.
In a bid to drive their point home the players, led by skipper Willard Katsande and his deputy Cuthbert Malajila, not only embarrassed Cde Mnangangwa.
They embarrassed Zifa and the whole nation.
On these sports pages we were unforgiving in our lashing of these boys.
We called them mercenaries when others chose to major on the minor.
That is us; we don’t draw comfort from numbers.
Predictably the brickbats came our way with some critics accusing us of being blind to the fact that the players have families and cannot work for free.
It’s worth noting that we never advocated for slavery at the Warriors.
We just highlighted that the boys had behaved like mercenaries – snubbing the highest office in the land over monetary grievances.
If it happened again we would still call the Warriors mercenaries.
We are alive to our duty, as the widely read national newspaper, to follow the flag at all times.
That knowledge is the reason why you see us behaving like paid up Caps United supporters when Makepekepe are taking part in the Caf Champions League.
We will do so even when Dynamos, FC Platinum or even Walter Magaya’s Yadah go out there representing this nation of ours.
That need to follow the flag was the guiding principle when we took on Wicknell Chivayo in a battle that probably confirmed us as a serious, non-bootlicking, sports desk.
Phillip Chiyangwa, the Zifa president, has issues with some of the stick we have given him since he came into office on December 5, 2015.
Getting him to agree to an interview with us is always some task. Yet he is a guy who craves publicity! “Makomborero I don’t trust you. Unongondirova, even Omega Sibanda akuchema newe. That column of yours by Sir is unforgiving,” the Zifa boss said as I entered his offices on Thursday.
Chiyangwa has given us both the good and the ugly during his reign but the guy – for all his flaws – has also made some right calls.
One such call is the move to ensure that the players who led the January FC 7 mutiny at the Harare International Conference Centre are not considered for national duty.
Like Chiyangwa notes in our lead ARSENE Wenger will be praying for an unexpected slip from Liverpool or Manchester City as Arsenal try to salvage their troubled Premier League campaign by snatching a Champions League berth in today’s season finale.
Rocked by Arsenal’s failure to live up to his expectations and battered by mounting criticism from furious fans, Wenger has been under fire like never before in his 21-year reign - and the lowest moment of all is likely to come at the Emirates Stadium this afternoon.
As if finishing below arch rivals Tottenham for the first time in 22 years wasn’t bad enough, Wenger’s bid to lead Arsenal into the Champions League for a 20th successive season is in grave danger heading into their last league game against Everton.
With the title race settled in Chelsea’s favour, Tottenham guaranteed to finish second and the three relegation places filled by Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull; it is the battle for the lucra- tive remaining two places in Europe’s elite club competition that will command the attention.
Despite winning six of their last seven games, Arsenal are in fifth place, one point behind fourth placed Liverpool and three adrift of thirdplaced City.
If Liverpool beat relegated Middlesbrough at Anfield and City avoid defeat at struggling Watford, then, even if Arsenal win, Wenger’s side will be consigned to the indignity of Thursday nights in the unglamorous Europa League next term.
Having refused to confirm if he will accept Arsenal’s offer of a new contract, Wenger has said this will be settled when he meets the club’s powerbrokers after the Gunners’ FA Cup final date with Chelsea on May 27.
Reports suggest Wenger is planning to stay and if that is the case the 67-year-old could do with boosting his plunging approval ratings by somehow gate-crashing the Champions League party.
Asked if the Everton clash will be his last game in charge of Arsenal at the Emirates, he gave a sarcastic response.
“Of the season...yes,” he said. “I story “snubbing the highest office in the land comes with consequences.” It’s time to pay the price. Playing for the Warriors is national duty, a sacred mandate that must be respected at all times by those fortunate enough to be chosen to wear the national colours.
With Norman Mapeza in charge of the squad – albeit in an interim basis – we have no doubt that indiscipline will have no room in the national team camp.
Team manager Wellington Mpandare also has a history of being a stickler for discipline.
The Afcon send off dinner debacle also brought to the fore the true leaders of the team.
Costa Nhamoinesu and Knowledge Musona were the voices of reason.
They argued that by snubbing the Acting President the Warriors were missing a perfect opportunity to present their grievances to a man who held all the aces.
While it is not our mandate to dictate who should take over the armband from Katsande we believe Nhamoinesu and Musona’s biceps are worth to carry the armband. think what is the most important for us is to win the football game we play on Sunday (today).
“After that, what happens to me is less important. I’m here to serve the club and the best way to do that is to win the next game.”
Meanwhile, a fourth successive City victory will see them hold on to third place and go straight into next season’s Champions League, while a draw would also be enough to ensure a top-four finish.
However, City could still miss out altogether if they lose, Liverpool defeat Middlesbrough and Arsenal improve their goal difference by at least five in the process of beating Everton. Calling for one last push after an underwhelming first season in charge, City boss Pep Guardiola said: “We still have 95, 96 minutes to fight to do one thing that’s so important for the club and the future. “It’s a crucial game for us. It’s a final. Every game has pressure, but it’s in our hands.
“It doesn’t depend on Arsenal or Liverpool. It depends on us. We have to go there and win the game.” Liverpool will compete in the Champions League for the first time since 2014-15, and only the second time in eight years, as long as they match Arsenal’s result.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is well aware the subsequent boost to Liverpool’s profile would be a major help in signing his top transfer targets.
“The Champions League, for different reasons, is a wonderful competition. It would be the icing on the cake,” Klopp said.
“It is important for players because that is what they want to play in.
“We will be successful in the future but for this we need the players, of course. We have very good players and we need a few more.”
Already certain to finish sixth, Manchester United will send out a team largely comprised of youth team players as boss Jose Mourinho keeps his senior stars fresh for next week’s Europa League final against Ajax.
If United win the Europa League they will claim a place in the Champions League, giving Mourinho the last laugh while his old rival Wenger faces a troubled future. — AFP