The Sunday News
Cosmos ‘Tsano’ Zulu
Highlanders v Mutare (BF, 01/05/2018) League game
Successful teams are flexible and are able to adapt to any situation. The flexibility of teams, healthy aggression and excellent technique paves way to success.
In addition, such teams have well organised defences that give players the freedom to express themselves and use their strength while pushing forward.
We witnessed something close to that last week, leading to Gabriel Nyoni’s pass, obliged by Newman Sianchali to score a bullet for Highlanders.
Highlanders could have won with six goals but poor staggering runs in the 18 area when crosses presented themselves cost the team. There were also big misses in the 68th and 88th minutes by Sianchali and Ozias Zibande.
I will say to the strikers; relaxation is a product of confidence. To the technical bench I can advise that practices in the penalty area will be the remedy.
I also saw good tactical substitution in the 82th minute, putting in a defensive midfielder to consolidate the three crucial points.
To Mutare F C, I might be wrong, but there were too much astray passes in their play for the bigger part of the game.
With that play, it was always going be difficult to push Highlanders to the wall with their players becoming more concerned with opponents than the ball.
But I was impressed by the experienced goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube, showcasing his human and tactical leadership.
But with a bit of luck they could have picked a point if it was not of world class save by Highlanders goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda, parring a stinging shot from outside the 18 area.
There was also a moment I thought they could have got a penalty when Honest Sibanda shoved a Mutare player inside the box.
The assistant referee on the Highlanders half, running with a limp at one stage failed to move with play and missed the ball which was over the line.
Bulawayo Chiefs v Herentals (Luveve, 02/05/2018) League game
I think we are turning the top flight league into a circus by having the owner of the team, well over 40 years in the team’s line-up. To make matters worse, the guy does not even do warm up.
He was “standing at one spot” for 68 minutes giving instructions to his Herentals players. You also have a man wearing a khaki trousers, warming up with the team, and having 12 substitutes on the bench. Ladies and gentleman is this how we can develop our football to international standards?
Coming to the field of play, what an ugly goalless draw. There was very little to observe in this game. My advice to the technical bench of both teams is they should know key factors in coaching.
Without purpose, direction is not possible. Purpose is concerned with factors which are usually long term. For example the purpose may be to improve attacking play of the team. Many factors come into attacking play, perhaps involving techniques and skills which the players have.
Objectives
Play with the ball for example passing, control, dribbling crossing the ball.
Play without the ball for example combining movement, supporting, overlap runs, cross over diagonal runs.
A coach cannot teach all these factors at once so it is necessary to determine a priority order and logical sequence of coaching within the overall objectives.
Importance of Code of Conduct
In recent years we have lost valuable lives of our coaches, players, administrators because of contracts with no code of conduct documents attached. I will give you some of the tragic incidents.
CAPS: The late Blesssing Makunike, Gerry Mashoko, Shingirai Alon while travelling back home after a game in unofficial transport. The boys perished in a road accident.
The coach Steven Kwashi is now in a bad state of health after he was involved in an accident while travelling late at night and of late Caps’ United Hardlife Zvirekwi while driving late at night, lost his wrist because of an accident.
Dynamos: Promising player Muhoni was involved in an accident travelling to play-off season games.
FC Platinum: Charles Sibanda was involved in an accident travelling at night just after the game.
Ngezi Platinum: A woman team’s player drowned at a swimming pool while in camp in Bulawayo.
Chicken Inn: The late coach Adam Ndlovu died in an accident while travelling for an off-season game in Victoria Falls.
(Abroad) Real Madrid: The late Laurie Cunningham was involved in a car accident.
South Africa: I have lost count of players who died in car accidents. But all these accidents could have been avoided if the code of conduct given to them had some restrictions on travelling times and which mode of transport to use. Football is the world’s popular game.
Feedback let’s keep reading.Feedback: [email protected]/ Cell: 0773842671
