Whether he believes it or not, ZIFA president Felton Kamambo can be hero-worshiped by football fans in the country, something the Harare businessman has not experienced since his election into office, in December 2018.
Kamambo, sometimes justifiably and other times unfairly, has been on the receiving end of criticism after criticism from the football-loving public, which feels the beautiful game is not developing under his administration.
Some fans have hilariously changed his name from Felton to ‘Faiton’, a title which grew louder when the Kamambo-led ZIFA board announced back in January, that firebrand Croat Zdravko Logarusic had been appointed the Warriors’ coach.
The outspoken coach has, since his appointment, won only one match out of 14- the 1-0 victory over Botswana and under his guidance, the team has turned from a side with a lot of potential, to weeping boys of every tournament they take part in.
The harsh call made by Seychelles referee Bernard Camille, to pernalise Alec Mudimu for handball and award the hosts a late penalty in yesterday’s defeat to Ethiopia, should not sanitize the Warriors’ awful display in Bahir Har.
That decision does not change the fact that the team has now failed to score in three consecutive matches under Logarusic’s guidance.
Similarly, the controversial call does not change the fact that the talismanic duo of captain Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat, which scored nine of Zimbabwe’s 10 goals in the AFCON 2019 qualifying campaign, has somehow failed to score for Zimbabwe regularly, of late.
In fact, neither Musona nor Billiat, has scored in open play for the Warriors, since Loga was appointed.
Musona’s brilliant free-kick against Algeria last November, is the only time he has scored under the Croat, while Billiat has not scored at all.
Under normal circumstances, in a country where honesty is the order of the day, Kamambo should not only be sacking Logarusic but he should also be resigning.
However, since we all know that in Zimbabwe no one resigns because of failure, Kamambo can save his skin and also save Zimbabwean football, by doing the right thing and dismiss Logarusic.
Its not too late in the race for World Cup qualification despite the Warriors being the only team in Group G without a win and languishing at the bottom of the table.
Its also not too late to dream of the Warriors going beyond the group stages at AFCON, for the first time ever, when they step on Cameroon soil for the 2021 edition of the continental showpiece, next January.
Kamambo should simply make the right decision, one which will not only save the national team, but might also save his hopes of getting re-elected in the next ZIFA poll next year.