The Sunday News
ZIFA heaved a huge sigh of relief after Government granted the Warriors permission to travel to Malawi for an international friendly match set for Sunday in Blantyre.
The clash against the Flames was hanging in the balance after ZIFA sent their tour request, to the Sports and Recreation Commission, late. All national sports associations need clearance, from Government, to travel to foreign lands and regulations have been tightened, of late, because of concerns related to Covid-19 pandemic.
Youth, Arts, Sport and Recreation Minister, Kirsty Coventry, told reporters in Zvishavane yesterday, where she was on Government business, ZIFA only sent their application last Friday.
The Ministry should, therefore, under the circumstances, be applauded for expediting the application, which could have taken longer to process, under normal circumstances.
ZIFA spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela, yesterday said they were relieved by the Government decision to allow the Warriors to travel to Malawi.
“We have been advised by the Sports Commission director-general (Prince Mupazviriho) that our trip to Malawi has been authorised. We are yet to get the official letter to that effect but it’s a huge relief. The coach will go ahead and name his team tomorrow (today) and they leave for Malawi on Friday (tomorrow). It’s unfortunate the process took long and some of the delays were due to the issues beyond ZIFA’s control.’’
Some reports yesterday had claimed Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic, was so frustrated by the chaos he even considered throwing in the towel. The 54-year-old flew back into Harare, after spending three months with his family, in Croatia.
He had wanted to use the match to assess the foreign-based players at his disposal ahead of next month’s back-to-back 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Algeria. But, as it has turned out, the bulk of the players he wanted for this assignment are unavailable for the match because of the bungling at the ZIFA office.
A number of letters, inviting the targeted players, were either sent late or ended up at the wrong clubs. The Warriors have no team manager and this has compounded the situation. The coach has been forced to revise his options after the Europe-based players, including skipper Knowledge Musona, Marshall Munetsi, Marvelous Nakamba, Tino Kadewere, Tendayi Darikwa, Adam Chicksen, Jordan Zemura and goalkeeper Martin Mapisa were ruled out of the game.
Under normal circumstances, the letters inviting the players should have reached the clubs 14 days in advance.
“These letters should have reached the clubs by September 20. These are things that are known everywhere in the football world. But, it appears, ZIFA were not prepared for the international window. To start with, they had not secured opponents on time and by the time the Malawi game was confirmed, it was late. Mostly, European clubs are very professional and they conduct their businesses to the letter.
“Again, it was going to be difficult for the clubs to release the players because of the difficulties in international travel, and the quarantine measures, which could mean players would need more days away from their teams once they return to their bases. Some countries in Europe are still demanding mandatory 14-day quarantines. So, the coach has had to go back to Plan B and that means drafting local players and, possibly, those based in Zambia. It also defied logic why, in the first place, he had called only 17 players.’’
Some European clubs, like Ajax Amsterdam, have decided not to allow their African internationals to travel and join up with their national teams this week. The club say they are not happy the players would have to quarantine on their return to the Netherlands.
Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus, the Moroccan pair Zakaria Labyad and Noussair Mazraoui and Lassina Traore from Burkina Faso have not been released. Ajax have made use of a FIFA ruling that allows clubs to choose not to release their players, this month, if they face a period of quarantine or self-isolation on their return. Usually players must be released if called up for international duty during the FIFA window.
But, the world football governing body relaxed regulations last week amid a spike in Covid-19 infections in recent weeks. Logarusic had said he would only consider foreign-based players for this international friendly because local players lacked match fitness since they have not featured in competitive football for over seven months.
However, letters have been sent to local clubs asking for them to release some of the players who have been targeted for this assignment as replacements. Many African teams are involved in international friendlies this week. Zimbabwe’s opponents in the upcoming AFCON qualifiers, Algeria, have two matches. They face Nigeria in Austria tomorrow and they have another date against Mexico next week in the Netherlands.—The Herald
