ALWYN MABEHLA
PHEW!
What a relief, Zimbabwe is back from international football isolation, after Fifa lifted the country’s suspension this week.
Zimbabwe has been in the wilderness since March 2022, and have missed out of qualification for the next Africa Cup of Nations finals – as well as youth and women’s tournaments.
Also, a great loss in terms of Fifa-funded training for coaches and referees.
World Cup qualification begins soon, and Zimbabwe is in the draw for that.
But the national team is not everything, especially after you have endured a ban of nearly two years.
As a nation you need to look at all structures and see how you should move forward post-isolation.
Zimbabwean football was already in intensive care before the suspension; the expulsion nearly took the life out of the game in this country.
I think as much as we are delighted that we have been readmitted, we lost valuable time to fix inherent issues that are in the game – stadia, coaches, player remuneration. We have tonnes of work to do.
Across the whole spectrum there are no coaches. Where do we start?
Under-17, Under-20, Under-23, seniors – both men and women – what is the starting point?
As the World Cup qualifiers begin, is Zifa liquid enough to bring in foreign-based players? How much do they have in their coffers?
I think the normalisation committee appointed by Fifa and Zifa should come up with a plan of some sort to bring ex-Warriors players on board and create a sub-committee that will be in charge of recruiting coaches and scouts, because the game is non-existent from all levels. Fifa has only allowed us back, but the hard work to reclaim our glory, if there ever was, is left to us.
