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WHERE will the next generation of Warriors come from?

It’s a question, which is puzzling many football fans, and with the Young Warriors missing from this year’s COSAFA Boys Under-17 Championships, set to be held in Maseru, Lesotho, it means they are unlikely to get a glimpse into the future.

The country will not be competing at the tournament, from December 1-10, after ZIFA decided against fielding a team in the regional tourney.

The draw was conducted last week and, after the late withdrawal of Mozambique, there will be a change of format at the tournament.

Zimbabwe will not be part of the cast of nations, both in the boys and girls categories.

ZIFA felt the general lack of football activity, on the domestic front, meant they would be sending in players who are likely to be battered, in the tournament.

“Last year, at the height of the lockdowns, we sent in our Under-17 and Under-20 girls to COSAFA and they performed dismally,’’ said ZIFA board member, Bryton Malandule.

“So, as a committee, we recommended to the board that we should not participate and that was very dangerous to the girl-child in particular, because last year we sent players who had not trained for at least six weeks, and from a technical point of view, that is not right.’’

The organisers had kept the door open, for the Zimbabweans, until the very last minute.

“The door has not yet been closed and Zimbabwe is welcome to participate,’’ COSAFA secretary-general, Sue Destombes, told our sister newspaper, The Sunday Mail, last month.

However, the ZIFA board stuck to their decision and the Young Warriors will be missing from the tournament.

This means they will not be returning to a tournament, from where they were expelled last year, for fielding an over-aged player.

The Comoros Islands, eSwatini and Botswana were expelled from the competition, in similar circumstances, after a number of their players failed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging test, which is used to determine a player’s age.

In the wake of the shame, the Sports Commission suspended their chief executive, Prince Mupazviriho and his ZIFA counterpart, Joseph Mamutse, after they ruled the team had flown to the tournament without getting the necessary clearance.

“Notwithstanding the clear provisions of the law and related guidelines, policies and directives relating to the undertaking of external tours by football teams representing Zimbabwe at various age and gender groups under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Football Association, the SRC board note the persistent flouting of the aforesaid framework in place, with the attendant controversies and embarrassments to the country,” SRC board chairperson Gerald Mhlotshwa, said in a statement.

“Noting the need to balance the interests of athletes against the need to hold accountable those administrators responsible for these shortcomings, the board of commissioners of the SRC has resolved as follows:

“1. The placement of the general-secretary/CEO of ZIFA, Joseph Mamutse, under immediate suspension from all forms of football administration pending an investigation into the circumstances under which:

“1.2 The Zimbabwe national Under-17 girls’ football team left Zimbabwe to participate in a tournament in South Africa without the necessary approval from the Sports ministry in conjunction with the Health Ministry in light of the Covid-19 regulations and attendant directives thereto;

“1.3 The circumstances under which the Zimbabwe national Under-17 boys’ football team left Zimbabwe to participate in a tournament in South Africa, without the necessary approval from the Sports Ministry in conjunction with the Health Ministry, in light of the Covid-19 regulations and attendant directives thereto;

“1.4 The circumstances under which the Zimbabwe national Under-17 boy’s football team was nonetheless disqualified from participating in the said COSAFA tournament on allegations of including overage player(s) in the side.

“2. The placement of the director-general of the Sports and Recreation Commission, Prince Mupazviriho, on immediate suspension pending an investigation into the circumstances under which ‘authority’ was purportedly granted in retrospect to the teams set out in 1.1 and 1.2 to travel to South Africa without the knowledge and/or authority of the SRC board as well as the Ministries of Sport and Health, above.’’

The absence of the Young Warriors, at this year’s regional tournament, has not gone down well with those who are working tirelessly to develop the next generation of Warriors.

“I believe that ZIFA chose not to plan for this tournament and now they are making every effort to defend the position they took way back in February,’’ junior development coach, Farai Dhliwayo, told The Sunday Mail.

“ZIFA receive FIFA Forward funds and they have to spend in order to develop.

“If they are not ready, we can help them assemble Team Zimbabwe but we should not be denying age-group players a chance because next year they will not be in the same bracket.’’

Patridge Muskwe, the other junior development coach, wondered where the next generation of Warriors will come from.

“If we close the door on youth teams, and shut down all avenues of development, where is the next Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat going to come from?’’ he wondered.

Zimbabwe will also not be represented at the COSAFA girls Under-17 Championships.

Botswana, Mauritius, South Africa and Zambia will play in a single group as a round-robin, with the top two advancing to the final.

“It is disappointing that only four countries have registered their participation. As a region we need to do better if we are to grow the women’s game,” Destombes said.

“It is, of course, acknowledged that it has been a difficult 18 months in terms of the lack of action due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however these Region 5 Games have come at an ideal time to kick-start a return to play.”

 

COSAFA BOYS UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW

 

Group A

Lesotho

Zambia

Eswatini

Mauritius

Madagascar

Group B

South Africa

Angola

Malawi

Botswana

Seychelles

 

COSAFA GIRLS UNDER-17 CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP STAGE TEAMS

 

Botswana

Mauritius

South Africa

Zambia