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Let us rally behind Pagels

Opinion & Analysis
NEW Warriors coach Klaus Dieter Pagels starts work officially tomorrow when Zimbabwe play Botswana in an international friendly football match at Rufaro Stadium.

NEW Warriors coach Klaus Dieter Pagels starts work officially tomorrow when Zimbabwe play Botswana in an international friendly football match at Rufaro Stadium.

NewsDay Editorial

He is the fifth coach under Cuthbert Dube’s administration and the second foreigner after Tom Sainfiet, who lasted just a few days. Norman Mapeza, Madinda Ndlovu and Rahman Gumbo have all had their dances with the Warriors to no success.

Pagels named his first squad last Friday and already there are murmurs of disapproval over his selection after he dropped a number of veterans from the squad and new players who were expected to kick-start the rebuilding programme.

Of particular note is the absence of Ovidy Karuru and goalkeeper Arial Sibanda. Karuru found no joy under Gumbo due to an overblown “crisis” in Mozambique last year which led to the condemnation of the coach.

But Karuru has still not been called up because he does not fit into Pagels’ envisaged type of play. Sibanda is not much better than Max Nyamupanedengu, and England-based star Bradley Pritchard does not fit in either.

These are decisions that Pagels, like any other coach, has made and he must be respected and supported by the nation. He knows how he wants to play — he has been around Zimbabwe for more than two years now and knows what the nation expects.

He cannot please everyone; he can only field 11 players in any game and those that have been left out must work harder for recognition next time. We still have matches against Egypt, Mozambique and Guinea. We will have the Cosafa Senior Challenge in July and the African Nations Championships (Chan) for local players and this will be an opportunity for other players.

If Pagels manages to win against Botswana, it gives him a starting point and not false hope as the next opponents Egypt will be tougher.

He needs all the support that the other coaches have been getting and we want to see Mbada Diamonds getting involved again in this national sport.

Reports that Pagels is struggling to regularise his work permit are worrying. It simply means Zifa is not being supported enough by the Education, Sport, Arts and Culture ministry in such critical issues.

A national team should not be treated in such a manner when it actually seems easier for a club coach to get a work permit.

Highlanders’ Kelvin Kaindu easily obtained one when he met all the conditions while FC Platinum’s Tennant Chilumba received his last week without any hassles. Even a player like Aaron Katebe, also from Zambia, never faced any problems when he arrived in Zimbabwe last year.

Let’s treat the man with respect and at least show him we need to rebuild the national team and focus on bigger challenges. The issue of finances will always be worrisome for Zifa, but we are encouraged a Football Trust, which will take over the $4 million debt, will be in place as soon as possible.