In what ranks as probably the WORST display of unprofessionalism at ZIFA, a member of the team, which is leading the association, sought to secure the services of one of the Warriors, using a WhatsApp text.
The invitation was for Warriors defender, Teenage Hadebe, to leave his base in the United States and fly home for a friendly international against Botswana.
Hadebe plays for Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo. This week, the player received a WhatsApp text from ZIFA’s FIFA Forward Manager, Kudzai Chitima, inviting him to come home and play in the friendly match against the Zebras.
It must be the first time, in the history of football, that a national team player has been invited, to come and play for his country, via a WhatsApp text.
“Teenage received a WhatsApp text from Kudzi telling him that he was needed to play for the Warriors in a match against Botswana,” sources told H-Metro.
“It was a shock for Teenage because it’s something that he never imagined could happen in this game.
“His reply was simple that this was not the way players are invited for national duty because it’s not about advising the player only but, and this is very crucial, it’s also about advising his club within a specified time frame.
“The clubs have to be told, way in advance, that their players will be needed for national duty and this gives them enough time to plan because these are their main assets.
“So, Teenage wasn’t coming because the approach was not the right one.”
Olympique Lyon also objected to releasing Tino Kadewere because they said they were not given enough time, as prescribed by FIFA, for the release of players for national duty.
Chitima was named as one of the administrators to manage the national game for a year after FIFA appointed a normalisation committee.
He was named the FIFA Forward Manager and, in his first interview, said he was not part of the normalisation committee, led by Lincoln Mutasa, even though he would be working with them.
“I am not part of the normalisation committee,” he told our sister newspaper, The Sunday Mail, shortly after his appointment.
“Of course, I will be working with them and the incoming elected board to structure and create a contract of agreed objectives to send to FIFA for Forward funds application, but the systems and policies, like on the national teams, are not my jurisdiction.”
However, in recent times, there have been claims that he has been acting not only as the chief executive of the association but also as the national team manager.
These claims will be supported by his decision to play a leading role, in the invitation of the Warriors, which is usually the work reserved for the manager of the team.
A void appears to have been created, when it comes to this role, after long-serving manager, Wellington Mpandare, was frozen out of the system by ZIFA boss Lincoln Mutasa and his team of administrators.
Mutasa and his team have been battling to push both Mpandare, acting chief executive Xolisani Gwesela and technical director, Wilson Mtekede, from the association.
However, their efforts have been thwarted, so far, by the trio’s demands for a fair compensation.
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