The Chronicle
By Sikhumbuzo Moyo
31 October 2013
ZIFA have acceded to a request by Zimbabwe Warriors coach Ian “Dibango†Gorowa to shift base for the national team matches from Rufaro Stadium in Harare to Bulawayo’s Barbourfields Stadium.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting in the city at the weekend, Gorowa, believed to have been given a five-year contract by Zifa, said he would want all the Warriors 2015 African Nations Cup qualifying matches to be moved to Barbourfields Stadium instead of Rufaro Stadium that has an artificial turf.
He said the artificial turf heightened the risk of injuries to players and besides there was a need to spread the national team games to venues outside Harare.
“I am requesting Zifa that we play all our qualifying games for Afcon 2015 at Barbourfields Stadium instead of Harare. I feel that we have to spread our football and Harare should not have the right to play host to all national team matches. Besides, the artificial turf at Rufaro Stadium is not up to standard and I think it’s important we utilise Barbourfields Stadium. We have the National Sports Stadium but of late the Warriors have not been getting good results there, the other facilities like Sakubva are not Fifa approved and therefore Barbourfields will be ideal as we try to rediscover the past successes of the national team,†Gorowa told the meeting.
In an interview with Chronicle Sport yesterday, Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela, said the association was fully behind the national team coach’s call as it was also in line with their vision of spreading the game to all corners of the country.
“We support Gorowa’s call to move the Warriors’ base to Bulawayo. The Warriors are a national team and therefore should have a national outlook. As Zifa we would even go further and take the Warriors to other provinces as well as long as there are proper facilities,†said Gwesela.
The Zifa spokesperson said the Warriors’ next international friendly match against Mozambique set for 8 December would certainly be played at Barbourfields Stadium.
Speaking during an all stakeholders’ breakfast meeting in the capital recently, the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa, said part of his ministry’s vision was to see representative national teams taking their games across the country instead of concentrating on Harare.
The former Minister of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture David Coltart had actually ordered the Sport and Recreation Commission to make sure national associations take national teams’ games to various parts of the country.
Football fans, administrators and analysts have also welcomed Gorowa’s call and said it was long overdue.
Premier Soccer League secretary general Kennedy Ndebele said the move was welcome as it would spark interest in the national team games across the country.
“We have been practising it as PSL and I think we ignited some interest. It’s also a challenge to local authorities to improve their infrastructure so that they benefit by playing host to national team matches. It’s a good move,†said Ndebele.
Friends of Warriors Matabeleland South chairman Bekezela Fuzwayo said as an association they had also been calling for that move and were glad their calls had been heard.
Football analyst Faith Dube praised Gorowa whom he described as a “pure sportsman†and visionary.
“National team games must be spread across the country and they disentangle the stigma that made the national team a Harare Select project. Football at national team level also serves a critical social cohesive role and unification of the people of Zimbabwe and hence keeping it as a Harare project has serious retrogressive implications for the growth of the game in the country. I therefore see Gorowa as a real leader and visionary through his stance,†said Dube.
Former Highlanders team doctor Xolani Ndlovu said the move was good and would get the entire nation behind the national team.
“Some people no longer cared about the Warriors because they viewed the team as a Harare project,†he said.
Soccer fan Raymond Maqethuka Dube said the whole country would now identify with the national team.
“Gorowa has just shown us that he is a national team coach. This team is for us all. This guy is a professional. I hope this will come to fruition and we now feel equally Zimbabwean,†he said.