Zifa, NC in big fight

Sport
The country does not have a Caf-certified stadium and play home matches away from home.

RELATIONS between the Zifa normalisation committee and the organisation’s secretariat appear to have soured amid revelations the two parties are fighting over the Warriors technical team appointments.

Zifa last week announced a new technical set up ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya and Cameroon beginning next week.

German coach Michael Nees will be assisted by Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi.

Some of the appointments included team doctor Nicholas Munyonga and manager Shariff Mussa.

The two have now been pulled off by the normalisation committee.

Newsday Sport understands that the Zifa secreriat, led by chief executive officer Yvonne Manwa made some of the appointments without consulting the normalisation committee.

The normalisation committee, particularly Rosemary Mugadza and chairperson Lincoln Mutasa, have flexed their muscles and reversed the appointments of Munyonga and Mussa.

Clemence Matawu has been roped in to replace Mussa, while Bulawayo Chiefs team doctor Idzai Muzondo returns in place of Munyonga.

Matawu was the team manager when the team travelled to South Africa for their Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Bafana Bafana.

The appointment of Mussa had raised dust, with some questioning why Matawu had been removed.

Others celebrated the return of the vastly experienced Mussa, who is also famed for his professionalism.

NewsDay Sport has been told by those close to the national team that Matawu struggles in the job because he cannot handle certain big egos in the Warriors set up.

Munyonga also had many stints in various national teams and was the team doctor in Zimbabwe’s last participation at the Afcon finals in 2022, which were staged in Cameroon.

Despite all his experience, the normalisation committee has opted for Muzondo, who was with the national team in South Africa.

Insiders say the normalisation committee decided to effect changes just to show the secretariat that it was in charge.

The committee has not announced the changes as yet, but Munyonga and Mussa are aware that their trip to Uganda is off.

Relations between the secretariat and the normalisation committee are far from cordial, as they constantly clash over issues, some of them petty.

Zimbabwe will play Kenya in Uganda on September 6 before they host Cameroon at the same venue on September 10.

The country does not have a Caf-certified stadium and play home matches away from home.

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