UNITED KINGDOM – Former Masvingo United and Highlanders striker Douglas Zimbango has claimed that selection to the Zimbabwe national team during his playing time was never based on merit.
Zimbango, who is now based in the United Kingdom said that players were selected largely based on their club affiliations or coach biases and as a result some players were automatic inclusions into the national team regardless of form or injury.
Players from giants Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United usually got the first preference. Zimbango, who is currently writing his memoirs, said this was also the case with the Soccer Star of the Year selections.
“I am not saying I deserved to be called to the national team or was national team material, but as players we knew that there was a lot of dirty dealings in Zimbabwean football.
“There were players who knew that they were automatic inclusions largely because of the teams they played for. It was the same case with the Soccer Star of the Year selections.
“Of course there were those that deserved but as players we knew some among us paid reporters to write glowing articles of themselves. I am currently writing my memoirs and will talk about that in detail,” he said.
The former Masvingo United, Highlanders and Green Buffaloes striker added that while playing for Masvingo United in 2008, he along with teammates Wonder Sithole and Johnson Zimbabwe were once approached by one of the national team coaches to join a team based in Harare in order to increase their chances to be considered for national team.
“In 2005, Masvingo United was playing very well and this was the season we lost the championship by just two points to CAPS United. We had a very strong team. Wonder Sithole, Johnson Zimbabe and I were at the top of our game.
“One day we played CAPS United in the ZIFA Unity Cup semifinals at Mucheke Stadium. After the game, one of the national team coaches, approached us as we headed for the changing rooms.
“He openly told the three of us to come to Harare and join CAPS United to stand a chance of being selected for the national team.
“But that time Masvingo United was playing very well. Big teams were coming to Mucheke Stadium and we were beating them,” he said.
Zimbango revealed that when former Masvingo United coach Luke Masomere was appointed to coach the team to Asia sometime in 2007, he told Masvingo United players that their time had come.
“Masomere told us that it was now our turn to be included in the national team. He even told Zambian national Ferdinand Mwachindalo that if he was a Zimbabwean, he was going to be included in the squad. So, the selection to national team will always be biased.”
Zimbango also spoke widely about the use of juju in Zimbabwean football.
“Most of the clubs have a strong belief in the use of juju and that was the case with a number of clubs that I played for. While we were at Masvingo United, we just had to look at the coach’s car to see if he had visited the Sangoma.
“If it had scratches all over, we knew he would have visited the Sangoma and he would walk into the dressing room and tell us that we are winning the game,” he said.
