WASHINGTON —
It was the same story Sunday night when the Warriors crushed out of yet another crucial soccer competition. Zimbabwe was beaten 2-0 by Guinea in Conakry leaving fans angry at the Zimbabwe Football Association, which they blame for failing the team and the country.
Furious fans now want ZIFA to go back to drawing board to revamp football at national level.
The football mother body has come under fire in the past for the team’s poor showing at international fixtures, especially as the team has struggled to meet in camp ahead of crucial matches.
Last week the national team failed to depart on time for Guinea due to financial constraints. The team was forced to leave a day before the match with a scaled down team.
Zimbabwe and Guinea are both in Group G with Egypt at the helm with 15 points. Guinea is second with ten points. Zimbabwe is now out of the running and leaves the competition at the bottom of Group G with just one point.
Soccer commentator Omega Sibanda says ZIFA should find ways to revamp the association and football as a whole in the country.
He adds Zimbabwe's soccer fortunes can only improve with enough funding to allow the engagement of a substantive coach.
"It is difficult for the current interim coach, who is on loan on a Government to Government development program with Germany, to start identifying talent that can be used in future matches," said Sibanda.
"Unless ZIFA revamps, are able to attract sponsorship and appoint a substantive coach who will start nurturing talent and developing a strong national team, any efforts to qualify for the Africa Nations Cup and World Cup will continue to be in vain.”
Last Friday ZIFA told VOA a marketing team has been put in place to rebrand the association and look for sponsorship.
But unhappy fans want results now, says Sibanda.
Furious fans now want ZIFA to go back to drawing board to revamp football at national level.
The football mother body has come under fire in the past for the team’s poor showing at international fixtures, especially as the team has struggled to meet in camp ahead of crucial matches.
Last week the national team failed to depart on time for Guinea due to financial constraints. The team was forced to leave a day before the match with a scaled down team.
Zimbabwe and Guinea are both in Group G with Egypt at the helm with 15 points. Guinea is second with ten points. Zimbabwe is now out of the running and leaves the competition at the bottom of Group G with just one point.
Soccer commentator Omega Sibanda says ZIFA should find ways to revamp the association and football as a whole in the country.
He adds Zimbabwe's soccer fortunes can only improve with enough funding to allow the engagement of a substantive coach.
"It is difficult for the current interim coach, who is on loan on a Government to Government development program with Germany, to start identifying talent that can be used in future matches," said Sibanda.
"Unless ZIFA revamps, are able to attract sponsorship and appoint a substantive coach who will start nurturing talent and developing a strong national team, any efforts to qualify for the Africa Nations Cup and World Cup will continue to be in vain.”
Last Friday ZIFA told VOA a marketing team has been put in place to rebrand the association and look for sponsorship.
But unhappy fans want results now, says Sibanda.
