Merryman Kunene
The resignation of Clemens Westerhof as Zimbabwe coach has by design or accident disrupted the country’s preparation for the World Cup qualifier against South Africa. That’s not to say caretaker coach Meshack Marimo is not up to the task. Problems for the Warriors go deeper than just replacing a temperamental coach.
That’s the view of Moses Chunga, head coach of Zimbabwe’s biggest and most popular side, Dynamos. Chunga, arguably the best player to come out of Zimbabwe and a cornerstone of the Zimbabwean surge of the mid-Eighties, says he was not surprised by Westerhof’s walkout, but the timing of it is a major source of worry for the players and administrators. “People keep saying that conditions were difficult for Westerhof but I think he made it impossible for himself to succeed by making dubious selections,” says Chunga.
Westerhof is said to have ignored tried- and-tested players in preference for Under-23s who served him well and had come within a whisker of qualifying for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Chunga also believes Westerhof’s departure will come as a relief to some Zimbabweans as he kept issuing conflicting statements about his future since the coaching position became available in South Africa.
Nevertheless, Marimo has taken over the side and the aftermath of Westerhof’s departure seemed to have motivated the players to a 1-0 win over Seychelles. But facing Bafana Bafana would be a different proposition altogether for the Warriors, who are looking for their first major tournament qualification after coming so close on numerous occasions.
Another problem for Zimbabwe, says Chunga, is a lack of quality players. “In the entire squad only three or four players are worth playing for a national side,” he said. He believes striker Peter Ndlovu is very isolated in the present side. “In the past we had several options up front and perhaps good support from midfield.”
However, captain Norman Mapeza, who plays for Altay in Turkey, believes there is a real chance for the Warriors to qualify for both the World Cup in 2002 (Korea/Japan) and African Cup of Nations finals (Mali 2002). Mapeza has gone as far as saying he would resign from the national team if it fails to qualify for either of the two tournaments.
Beating South Africa on Sunday will go a long way towards fulfilling a long-held dream for Mapeza and company. Mapeza believes there is a real chance for Zimbabwe: “Morale is extremely high and the boys are fired up to remove any obstacles that get in their way,” he says. Marimo would be suitably encouraged by his captain’s confidence and the result in the Seychelles might just be enough to persuade the authorities at the Zimbabwean Football Association (Zifa) to give him an extended run with the team.
Zimbabwe, like its southern neighbour, is in conflict with idea of employing a foreign coach while they groom their own. For a country which has had no fewer than six coaches in a 24-month spell, the coaching decision invokes conflicting emotions among fans and administrators.
“In Zimbabwe, African coaches do not get the same treatment as their European colleagues do,” said Chunga. “If you are Zimbabwean you do not get a salary for your job. You only get allowances if the team wins, whereas a white coach will get all the benefits like car allowances, housing, bonuses, and so on.”
For Chunga it is not just the salary or lack of it that is likely to affect Marimo but general lack of faith in an African- born coach. Chunga believes that Africa can make progress only by providing long- term and sensible contracts for coaches. Sunday’s match is billed as the match of the underdogs. A draw would be a welcome result for Marimo.