The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
BLIGHTED by lack of a plan to pave way for the return of action anytime soon, ageing domestic Premiership football stars, mainly those on the wrong side of 30, are silently hanging their boots.
A good number are highly likely never to get back on the field of play as sport in general and football in particular continues suffocating under the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Defender, Themba Ndlovu, holding midfielder, Devon Chafa, attacking midfielders, Charles Sibanda, Winston Mutulasoni Mhango and Rodwell Chinyengetere, forwards, Albert Eonde, Mkhokheli Dube, Innocent Benza, Benjamin Marere and Tawanda Nyamandwe are some of those whose limps will soon be answering to the call of nature.
Zimbabwe has never known any competitive football action since March last year when the Covid-19 cases were first reported in the country and one year down the line, the respiratory ailment is still not only in our midst, but wreaking havoc with greater ruthlessness.
Owing to inactivity and idleness, some players have long deserted individual training sessions, while others have adopted new livelihoods including illegal street money changing vocations.
Prohibitive costs have also curtailed club online monitoring of physic individual training sessions.
While some countries have resumed action under strict Covid-19 guidelines, Zimbabwe, yawning under a clueless football administration body, worsened by lack of Government and corporate support, is yet to realise the same.
Tawanda Nyamandwe
Ngezi Platinum coach, Rodwell Dhlakama, said: “It (retiring players because of Covid-19 lockdown restriction) is a topical issue because with this lockdown it means coaches and administrators have to adjust their philosophy on football scouting and player recruiting policies.
“We cannot afford to sign or recruit players without a clear roadmap. That is tantamount to murder because before you know it, you will no longer have a team. Chances are remote that we will have any football action soon, considering the political upheaval in the football community.
“No doubt, we will lose a number of players because of this inactivity. They will not be able to come back after a lengthy lay-off. While some have been training hard since the lockdown started, we all know that there is a good number who gave in.”
Chicken Inn gaffer, Joey ‘Mafero’ Antipas, said: “It is a real sad development on players who are throwing in the towel after so many years in the game. Just one example is Clement Matawu who was prepared to give it one more season, but his career was curtailed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“There are more to follow due to inactivity especially if you are on the wrong side of 30. As a coach, you have to assess if these players have the desire and hunger to still play, so it is a real sad scenario.”
Antipas queried why the county up to now still does not have a plan for sport to return to action safely.
“I personally do not understand why we cannot be able to play like what other neighbouring countries around us are doing. Is it that we do not have the capacity to commence or it is mismanagement? Zambia, Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique even Malawi all active or tried to be.
“I fully understand and appreciate the need to prioritise our health, but I think there is something amiss about our situation,” said the former Motor Action gaffer.
