Pundits slam ZIFA, Warriors
FORMER Zimbabwe international defender, David Kutyauripo, has said the Warriors now mirror the poor state of football in the country and there was need for some urgent interventions, to rescue the national game.
Kutyauripo was one of the two pundits, on ZTV yesterday during the live broadcast of the World Cup qualifier between the Warriors and the Black Stars of Ghana at the National Sports Stadium.
The Warriors lost 0-1 and crashed out of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
“I think everyone is not happy in Zimbabwe, even those guys who are in the diaspora, they were watching this game, they are not happy with the performance,’’ said Kutyauripo.
“From the first to the last whistle, no one is happy. These guys didn’t come to play today, maybe, it’s fatigue, we never know, jet lag, because they arrived late yesterday (on Monday, on the eve of the match).
“The Ghanaians were here before us, we are the owners of the country but we are the second ones to get into the country, to my surprise.
“I don’t know what is going on with ZIFA, I always preach every day that these guys who are running football at ZIFA they are not the right people.
“They are letting the nation down, even the players, maybe, they don’t have confidence with the leaders who are there at the moment, that’s why we are seeing this pathetic performance from the guys.
“They are showing us that they don’t want these people with the way they are playing.’’
He said he didn’t understand how a team, which showed a lot of promise, in the reverse encounter in Ghana, despite losing 1-3, could fall so flat, in just a matter of days.
“Looking back from Saturday, what we were watching on Saturday in Ghana is different from what we were watching today at the National Sports Stadium,’’ he said.
“I don’t know, that vibe wasn’t there, that co-ordination wasn’t there, at the end of the day we expected Zimbabwe to go and represent Africa at the World Cup, I doubt.
“We need to put our house in order, from the top, to the last person who, maybe, works at ZIFA. “Look, the guys who are working at the National Sports Stadium, they are doing their best, bringing the pitch to a greenish (colour) like we see in the EPL (English Premier League).
“But, look at the performance, I’m not happy, we have pride in the national team, sometimes when you are at home, you are supposed to attack, through and through.
“But, today, we didn’t see that, no threat, I don’t think we are supposed to call these guys, some of them.
“I think, in the last two games, it’s better to bring in local guys, who can convince Norman Mapeza, if he is still in charge, to go with those guys to the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022.”
His fellow pundit, former Young Warriors captain, Vusi Laher, also expressed his disappointment.
“Disappointing indeed, pathetic performance from the whole team,’’ he said. “I’m not happy with the whole team, at all.’’
“We are not teaching them (ZIFA) what to do in terms of how football should be run, but we are preaching to them to start being organised, from the top to the bottom.
“And, (to tell) the players, as well, that once you wear a national team jersey, you are representing yourself, the country and everybody else. “They have got to know how important this is.’’