ZIMBABWE Under-23 football team coach Kalisto Pasuwa has reportedly quit the Young Warriors once again after Zifa failed to pay him his outstanding salaries and allowances.
TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
Pasuwa was supposed to take charge of the Young Warriors on their first day of training at Greendale Sports Club yesterday ahead of the sink-or-swim African Championship qualifier against South Africa in KwaZulu-Natal on Saturday.
However, the Young Warriors gaffer did not show up at training where players went through their drills under the supervision of assistant coach Nation Dube and goalkeepers’ coach Tembo Chuma. Pasuwa’s other assistant Saul Chaminuka also did not show up.
Dube refused to talk about the absence of his boss while Pasuwa could also not be reached for comment.
But informed sources said Pasuwa, who also doubles as coach of the senior team — the Warriors — had not been paid his outstanding salaries totalling nearly $10 000 since he took over the biggest coaching job in Zimbabwe.
“Pasuwa had been promised by his employers that he would be paid what is due to him upon his return from the Comoros. But nothing has been done up to now. He has been patient and unless they fulfil their promise, it will be difficult for him to continue,” said the source.
Efforts to contact Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela were fruitless last night.
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There were also reports that the Young Warriors could be without chief striker Thomas Chideu as his South African club reportedly declined to release him.
The match falls outside the calendar for Fifa international games and clubs are not obliged to release players. However, Mamelodi Sundowns are reportedly willing to release Kuda Mahachi. Mahachi played in the first leg in Harare, but was largely anonymous.
Pasuwa’s men complicated life for themselves after allowing the visitors to score an away goal in the first leg at Rufaro in Harare to force a 1-1 draw.
The Young Warriors will now have to roll up their sleeves to turn the tables against a technically superior South African side that thrives on keeping possession and are inspired by creative midfielder Keagan Dolly — scorer of the goal that could cost Zimbabwe in this return leg.
The Young Warriors could again be without some of their foreign-based players like midfielder Marvelous Nakamba who plays his club football in the Netherlands with Vitesse and fullback Ronald Pfumbidzai who plays for Danish side Hobro IK.
Zimbabwe now need a scoring draw better than a 1-1 draw to qualify.
The winner between the two sides joins hosts Senegal and six other African countries at the African Under-23 Championships in Dakar in December which will serve as the qualifiers for the 2016 Olympics.
The top three nations at the tournament will automatically qualify for the Olympic Games to be held in Brazil next year. Zimbabwe have never made it to the Olympics in their history coming agonisingly close to qualifying for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney under then coach Dutchman Clemence Westerhof only to be eliminated by the Eaglets of Nigeria who handed them a harsh football lesson in a 4-0 rout in a game they needed just a draw to seal a ticket to the finals.
