‘Winning is my mission’ I’M A WINNER . . . ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa addresses a media conference in Harare yesterday in the company of Warriors’ coach Callisto Pasuwa (middle) and senior national team manager Sharrif Mussa
I’M A WINNER . . . ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa addresses a media conference in Harare yesterday in the company of Warriors’ coach Callisto Pasuwa (middle) and senior national team manager Sharrif Mussa

I’M A WINNER . . . ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa addresses a media conference in Harare yesterday in the company of Warriors’ coach Callisto Pasuwa (middle) and senior national team manager Sharrif Mussa

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa says his number one priority is to ensure that the national teams win matches in their international assignments and he promised to quit should they fail in that mission.

Speaking at a media briefing where the Warriors squads for upcoming AFCON qualifier against Malawi and COSAFA Cup tournament were announced yesterday by coach Callisto Pasuwa, Chiyangwa said everything else comes secondary.

The Warriors, the Mighty Warriors and the Young Warriors are all involved in big commitments, which urgently require funds.

“For me to put these teams together I need a budget of $485 000 that is for Uganda, Malawi and COSAFA matches,” said Chiyangwa.

“So, in order for us not be crowded with financial issues, it is better for them (Mighty Warriors) to go away and we deal with this present problem, that is financial engineering.

“Otherwise you know all of you that ZIFA has zero, it has a minus of $6 million dollars.

“I entered an office where there is a debt facing me of $6 million and I am expected to do as good as anybody else, which is what you have seen me do, which is to put the debt issue aside, concentrate and focus at producing results because as long as I don’t produce results as president of ZIFA, I will resign.

“If the national teams continue to lose I will resign because if I don’t resign you will finish me off you media guys.”

Chiyangwa said he plans meticulously with his technical team ahead of such big games like the Malawi showdown.

“I plan to win, these guys (technical team) were here this morning at 8 ’clock for meetings. I plan to win, my game plan is to win, I don’t expect anything else from the technical team, that is why I asked them to take the best players we have in the world wherever they are and I will look for the money to fly them in,” said Chiyangwa.

“We want to win because if we lose I will be finished.

“If the team begin to lose I will leave so that others can lead, that is my story.”

As part of the reforms that will get the association up and running again, the Harare property mogul also revealed that ZIFA would be re-branding in the coming fortnight.

Currently, the mother body is operating without a substantive general secretary following the departure of Jonathan Mashingaidze, whose contract was not renewed.

Former chief operating officer Joseph Mamutse is acting in that capacity but a new chief executive is expected amid other changes as part of the re-branding strategy to be announced in two weeks’ time.

“In about two weeks’ time we would be re-branding ZIFA. We are changing everything that is happening at ZIFA and I mean everything that is all I can say,” said Chiyangwa.

Chiyangwa was also asked about his partner Wicknell Chivayo and the ZIFA boss said as far as he was concerned, their partnership was alive and well.

Chivayo bought a luxurious car for Warriors skipper Willard Katsande in Johannesburg and treated the duo of Knowledge Musona and Costa Nhamoinesu to a shopping spree in Paris, which was said to have cost $10 000 per player.

“What I am happy with is that the players like this guy who spoils them.

“They haven’t brought any complaints and I am also happy because this guy has done something that no other guy has done in the history of Zimbabwe football,” said Chiyangwa.

“If it was not for him, we would not be playing in the 2022 World Cup and he paid more than $180 000 for Tom Saintfiet.

“He is my partner and the relationship is between him and me and not ZIFA and so far I am happy with how things are going.”

Warriors manager Shariff Mussa said the players were happy with the gifts they were getting from Chivayo.

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