The chaotic manner which characterised the Warriors camp ahead of the 2013 African Cup of Nations football qualifier match against Burundi in Bujumbura on Wednesday is very disturbing.
Interim coach Rahman Gumbo this week told us that he was not worried about how slow the players trooped into camp for the away match and was confident of winning in Bujumbura.
We all know Rahman is a winner. The guy has won championships in three countries showing that it was no fluke. He has won three titles in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana. We have great respect for the former Dream Team player as a coach.
Rahman is naturally a motivator and plots the downfall of the opposition with precision. He is a good coach who needs support, but we are afraid he is working under a confused Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) leadership who might harm his proud credentials because of their poor organisation.
Zifa failed to yoke all our players ahead of this match, leaving Rahman with just one day of assessing his troops in Burundi.
He will only connect with some of key players like Noel Kaseke, Knowledge Musona and Vusa Nyoni in Bujumbura. He might say it because he is a winner, but it is a sad story for the FC Platinum gaffer. How difficult this job can be.
Only a handful of players were in camp and there was clear lack of depth as other key players like Quincy Antipas pulled out due to injuries.
The Warriors had to reshuffle throughout the whole week due to these injuries and pullouts. Gumbos woes were worsened by the fact that he had to choose from a shallow pool after some of the regular players were caught up in the Asiagate web.
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We all know Zifa create the worst situations for coaches, but we guess we have to live with it. We have a confused Zifa board that we unfortunately have to put up with for the next two years.
That is why we are rallying behind the team that will do duty against Burundi and urge them to forget about the way Zifa do things. The players must concentrate on the job at hand.
We agree with Rahman when he boldly declares that his mission is to win in Burundi. He is a true soldier ready for war.
Against this background, one would have thought Rahman was going to be lily-livered and die like a coward many times before his death. But here is a man who never doubts his ability despite clear signs militating against him.
That is the spirit, Rahman. Go out there and put Zifa to shame by coming with a positive result that will force Zifa to put their house in order.
We have high expectations for the technical bench that also features David Mandigora and legendary striker Peter Ndlovu. The presence of Peter will no doubt inspire the Warriors because he knows this terrain very well and will come in handy to guide this team.
That said and done, Go, Warriors go!
