Zimbabwe Speaks Out on Warriors Defeat
Zimbabwe’s painful 2-0 defeat to Angola in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) second leg qualifier has ignited a varied reaction across the board. Here is a sampling of what both prominent and ordinary people think.
Mehluli Khumalo: “I have a strong feeling these Warriors results are fixed. Somehow i could guess something fishy would deny us the success. How does it happen that we concede two goals in 7 minutes and somebody somehow makes sure we do not witness the early minutes of the action. Sounds like the Cape Verde story! Somebody please return this cash that you were paid or we may as well forget about national soccer in Zimbabwe.”
Zanu PF MP Jonathan Moyo: “The Ministry of Education should have provided the leadership, but when it failed someone must have taken over the responsibility when the Minister is sleep working on duty and do the job. We must brand ourselves indigenously; by calling the Committee Mzansi 90 we were invoking other people’s sprits as if we did not have ours.”
Discent Collins Bajila: “The assertion by ZANU PF`s Jonathan Moyo, that the Warrior`s loss to Angola is a result of Minister David Coltart`s sleep on duty is an intolerable attempt on the blame game. Even children know that Coltart is one of the hardest working Ministers in Zimbabwe.
Senator David Coltart: “I suppose I should be thankful that at least Jonathan Moyo concedes that I am sleep WORKING not walking on the job! I certainly am not going to lose any sleep over Jonathan Moyo’s allegation that I am sleep WORKING on the job! Zanu PF political opportunism at its best or worst, depending on your perspective!”
Senator David Coltart: “Now we need to analyse the Asiagate report out this week and continue the process of cleaning up and de-politicising Zimbabwe football.”
Mbonisi Mabhena: “Can someone advise Cuthbert Dube (Zifa Chief) to stop using his money and think football. Take the current u20 team give Peter (Ndlovu) the reigns and make them fulfil the world cup qualifiers. Forget about the results and make them play all the u23 fixtures and organise friendlies.”
Zanu PF MP Jonathan Moyo: “It is that mobilisation and motivation that created a formidable belief that ‘Yes we can do it’. The problem lies in our failure to repeat what we did in 2004 and 2006. Infact the thrust must not have been how to qualify but how to win the Cup.”
Senator David Coltart: “We will not get to the full potential until we clean up our football. We are still suffering from corruption and the rot. Even players like (Knowledge) Musona have not had his full heart on the Warriors in the past weeks. I am very disappointed by the result but am encouraged by the aggregate of 3-3.”
Zanu PF MP Jonathan Moyo: “We acted as if we have never qualified before. We are not learning from our success. We are not implementing the things we did in 2004 and 2006. There has been not even a single jingle to motivate players, coaches, corporate sector and the enthusiastic media.”
ICT Minister Nelson Chamisa: “We have neglected a lot of advantages and opportunities to the detriment of the national pride and patriotic duty. There has to be an active role from the government from a policy and budgetary point of view to redeem and reclaim our national glory which has been near but very far.”
Ezra ‘Tshisa’ Sibanda: “As l said before, the circus surrounding the trip was a disaster. For the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to agree to fly 197 people crammed together with players in a plane chattered by Mbada Diamonds was suicidal.
“Accompanying 30 players, 8 coaching staff was 32 people from Mbada Diamonds the sponsors, 14 journalists, 12 traditional dancers, 20 Mzansi 2012 committee members, 16 representatives of premiership clubs, a number of nominated supporters, Zifa officials to make a total of 197 passengers.
“It’s unheard of, unprofessional and dangerous to mix football players and so many fans packed together in whatever mode of transport especially travelling a day before a game of this magnitude. The players and coaching staff were never given space to bond and build team spirit as a group because there was so much human baggage around them.”
