The great Cosafa tournament begins with a bang

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Top players in the world, some from the north and west Africa, play about 38 league matches, 12 European championship matches and 8 cup matches - 58 top class matches against the toughest possible opposition in a season.

Additionally, some seasons may include 12 World Cup or 12 continental qualifiers, 4 Club World Cups, 5 Confederations Cups (17) - a total of 75 topnotch matches. 

Some Africa football leagues play 30 matches, and no cup tournaments, or at best, 4 extra matches to reach a final if lucky. And the opposition, the training, the pitches and matches are not that mind-blowing.

Can our best be world beaters, or we are wasting our time?

The Council Of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) Castle Cup, celebrating 20 years of existence, began this week in the North West. Zimbabwe, former multiple tournament winners, started the regional showcase with a bang, actually, four bangs past Mozambique. 

Madagascar also beat Seychelles to secure a first win, all at the Moruleng Stadium managed by Brown Mapologela.

Angola and Tanzania also won their opening fixtures in the preliminary round, beating Mauritius and Malawi respectively. It must be noted that the quarter-finals from Saturday will involve countries winning their respective groups.

South Africa, Lesotho. Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Botswana are the region's top ranked teams and do not play preliminary rounds. Tanzania are a guest team, normally playing in the Council of East and Central African Football Associations (Cecafa) tournament.

It is important for all fans, coaches, players and the national associations to to take Cosafa, Cecafa and CHAN - the domestic version of AFCON, very seriously. Due to lack of sustainable sponsorship in the domestic leagues in Africa, especially, East and Southern Africa, extra high quality game time is irreplaceable.

Cosafa, Cecafa and CHAN presents regional players with an extra playing time opportunity and a small window to make extra cash and market oneself. National associations need to invest more time and other resources to ensure survival of the project.

Everything must be done to encourage players, inspire coaches, educate administrators and equip associations through the organisation of the tournaments.

A good thing is that there is now also an Under 20 Cosafa tournament and many nations must be encouraged to use age proper youths. 

I have always advocated for the Cosafa Champions League. Do you agree?

South African football such a shame.

South Africa football is one of mixed fortunes both literally and figuratively. The game is moneyed and success is scarce. Who is to blame? Let us start pointing fingers as usual.

I would love to look at the league and then the national team. There is no secrecy about the funding of the ABSA Premier League as it is bankrolled by one of the biggest money houses in Africa. ABSA pumps a cool sum as they do for the Rugby. Springboks are a leap ahead, naturally, as you know that it is a sport enjoyed by the majority of the people who have R18 billion at ABSA.

You should remember how the African majority race complained about SA Rugby being not black enough. ABSA were warned not to raise a voice because they will have R18 billion out of the door by noon. The bank 'shooshed'. That is politics and you know how dumb I am on the subject.

Calls from all foreign coaches who have come to South Africa as national team mentors have been that the league should depot all aliens and play the Kasi boy so as not to dilute style and give local jimbos more play time. That fell to deaf ears even to the Oliphants that you would expect to hear well low-frequency resonance given the big ear flaps.

The other issue especially articulated by Carlos Alberto Pereira was that of the reserve league. As noble as the suggestions are, they meet the standards of the association and the league, but club owners have a different agenda. If the locals do not give them the mileage they need to be on top, requesting for extra expenses running a reserve team is not business at all. Here, the game dies.

 My personal opinion has always been a COSAFA or CECAFA Champions league. Surely, the PSL can influence ABSA to fund the project. This gets Southern African teams enough international practise for the Africa Champions league and even help moderate players get international game time.

Supersport also pour huge sums into the game and they would benefit with a wider viewership. I understand they have arrangements with the league for a few appearances here and there, which is commendable, but they would increase the interest with Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs playing in Kampala, Dar es salaam or Kinshasa regularly. That exposure for the teams and the Superdiski will be healthy for business.

That will render the issue of getting less foreigners in South Africa and even in cases where that is not the case, it will build healthier relationships amongst the nations and their players. I would actual advocate for the Bosnian rules to apply in the region. 

The average national team of South Africa get a cold from the cough of the league, naturally. Bafana Bafana are struggling to be a noticeable African force, even at COSAFA level, pretending it is not so important sometimes. If the league be dead, they national team is rotten. 

Further from the bad quality from the league players, coach Pitso Mosimane called closer cooperation from all stakeholders to ensure the national team is thoroughly prepared for the their games. There is risk of failing to qualify for 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 Fifa World Cup starting in June this year. What am I talking about by saying risk? The team has not qualified for the current tournament, so it is actually more normal to fail to qualify.

Mosimane has failed to get Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Golden Arrows players recently for the 0-0 South Africa draw with Equatorial Guinea fielding five uncapped players in the starting line-up and handing three more rookies their maiden caps in the second half. That drama continued forcing the coach to call five more players to replace those called by their clubs.

At the earliest convenience, Pitso's head will be on the block for a poor job done. Really? The love for success at national level and our contribution to that are way parallel. Mosimane was quoted saying, "We need to look at how serious we all are about preparing Bafana for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations tournament that we are hosting, as well as the 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifiers that start in June." Knowing what we know, that is a long shot call and all I can do is wish him luck for both the cooperation he desires and keeping his job.

Bafana Bafana have never been good enough to be world beaters and gliding through luck in the earlier years gave the impression that the squad is world-class. The time to work for the results came and there were no answers.The collective effort demanded by the coach to ensure the team's readiness for tournaments ahead will be a chorus he will sing until he enters the job market soon, probably because of his hoarse voice and SAFA will be seeking for more melodious vocal chords to sing the same tune. 

What never ceases to amaze it the audacity to question the Bafana FIFA ranking. SAFA and the nation forget that like a bank account, it is what you put in the football that counts, and not the size of the egos. When it comes to the playing field, Bafana are just like ball boys. 

The best defender of the country warms the bench in lower divisions in England. The best midfielders does the same at the Barclays Premier League. The nation's number goalkeeper is going for trials with lower divisions in England soon. Compare that to the best player in Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Nigeria, Mali and Ghana. For most of the time, Bafana are not even a top 10 African team, yet the resources and facilities are world-class. 

In any case, the boys from Kasi should be taking their game from the streets and try to make a statement in big teams in the league. All youngsters are glued to TVs and PCs playing video games, but the nations needs them to carry the flag high. All that the parents can do, is take these gadgets away and let the boys take to the field and hopefully, one day, Bafana Bafana will be what we once thought they were. 

As it is now, it is a big shame.

Where to South African football?

Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs have always been the symbol of South African football, regardless of their lackluster performances. They command huge followings in and around the country. This is despite the dominance of faded Supersport United and the riches of Mamelodi Sundowns. It must be said that Bloemfontein Celtic draw probably the biggest crowd in South Africa in their home matches if all things are equal.

As it stands, South African football has represented the continent well by its coverage on TV and cyber space. The quality of play has not matched the promise expected by both locals and outsiders. Many coaches and observers have tried to get SAFA and the ABSA Premiership management teams to implement one form of reform or another. The easiest thing to do has been nothing and that is exactly what we got.

Super diski, as we call our football, has always had an Achilles’ heel. The game here has depended on foreign material since the early days of the end of apartheid. In those days, Orlando Pirates won the Africa Champions League with players like Jerry Skhosana, Helman Mkhelele, Mark Fish, Sizwe Motaung and William Okpara name but a few. Not long from that point, Mzansi were the African champions in 1996.

From the dizzy heights of being both club African champions and continental big fish, South African football has been a laughing stock, as seen by the CAF league ranking a few weeks back. Ranking 17^th in a league that is well funded and has that much history and general pride and self esteem, is such a shame. Details of what might have gone wrong may vary and excuses may be given, but the bottom line is that there must be change. That change will not be coming anytime soon anyway.

The past decade has seen South African Footballer of the Year accolades going to foreign players for the majority of the times. That goes for the Top Goal Scorer and Rookie of the Year Awards. From the days of Wifred and William Mugeyi, George Nechironga, Collins Mbesuma, Benjani Mwariwari, Tico Tico and now, Knowledge Musona, you will see the point. True comparison result proves our players are just inferior. It would be necessary to find out why.

Supersport United won the championship so many times and failed to make an impact in Africa despite the resources they have. Rounds going about nowadays is how the top teams in the league are coached by foreigners. While I do not want to believe that these guys are better, Sundowns, Chiefs, Pirates and Ajax are indeed under the tutelage of aliens. What I can not confirm is whether it is the quality of the coaches that makes the difference or the quality of the squads they have. For me, the later is true.

Another argument is whether foreign players, in this case, Knowledge Musona the current top goal scorer, is a cut above the rest. That is an undisputed fact as of now. What is the South African football strategy to get players of the same quality? Nada. What I can tell you is that there are people of the same quality who are not playing football. I have coached a tertiary institution and I can tell you that for a fact. The system must encourage such people to see it worthwhile to play football. It could be also, that the most fans going to the stadia are foreign too.

Given that South Africa is rarely a force even in the SADC region, with all the potential sponsorship for its benefit, a COSAFA version of clubs maybe something worthwhile for the nation to consider. This will measure the clubs’ preparedness for the champions’ league and measure any progress of the nation’s football; first at club level, then higher.

The 'Truth' About Tom Saintfeit Saga: I Fear Warriors Sabotage.

A divided house shall not stand, so does the Bible say and that fact is divine. Tom Saintfeit had a cool job in Namibia and parted ways with them after signing a cooler contract with the Zimbabwe national association, albeit amid in-fighting concerning his suitability. Like many of us who are not fans of foreign coaches who have come into the continent since World War 11 to impart their expertise to African coaches so that Africa can be self-sufficient-cum-reliant, the feeling that the trend will end 24 hours before the end times makes it a bitter pill to swallow.

Finally, he was appointed and is with us until yet another controvential expat signs another contract, again to impart his knowledge to local coaches. That having been a potential moral version of the excuse not to appoint the Belgian, we need to get closer to the truth. The actual truth is lethal, so we will scurry wide and long  in the periphery. For Saintfeit, Namibia is a better footballing nation. That is also the opinion of FIFA statistics mechanism that provide the ranking. That is one motivation for Tom to cross the floor. Everybody knows that when it comes to football, even my Bafana Bafana rank below the Warriors. They have been COSAFA Champions umpteenth times.

The Far East betting syndicates have been biting deep into the Southern African nation football, injecting toxic cash that has addicted a few fellows in Zimbabwe. The issue set in the rot that saw a few football officers, players and journalists being questioned by the football authorities. The Far East money has no doubt been sweet, and may have had strings attached. This would be why the bone of contention over the coach's appointment may have lied. The problem with this assumption is that it would imply that local coaches are either corrupt or can be influenced. Given the two scenarios, a betting syndicate will surely prefer a local to an expatriate, all things equal. This does not mean the expat will not eat Nando's.

Events extrapolated to an extent that Saintfeit's stay in that country was deemed illegal hence he had to be deported. That was in line with the nation's immigration laws that state that he had to be outside the country while his papers are being sorted out. The work-permit is not guaranteed. Given the circumstances preceding his appointment, success will be a miracle, at least before Sunday's Cape Verde fixture in Harare. Perhaps, that will be enough for the parties that may desire to see the local coach in charge. There has been a few cases of expat coaches being fast-tracked to get on with their jobs and I am not sure if their cases were as pressing as this one.

That said, the Technical Committee in charge of Competitions and National Teams must be recommended to act above-board. In terms of coaching qualifications, Norman Mapeza struggled with the CAF C License course, but he had been at the helm of the Warriors. His co-assistant, Madinda Ndlovu was elevated to take over as the Warriors coach until Saintfeit papers are issued, if the application for his work-permit is successful. This pushes back any doubts of whether the deportation of Saintfeit was to benefit Mapeza. As it turns out, Mapeza is still playing second fiddle. It now remains to be seen how much support and input Madinda will have to do a better job.

As it is, Ndlovu will draw comparison with Mapeza, and anyone who knows Ndlovu will tell you he does not any bull from anyone. If he does well, there will still be a battle of who is the blue-eyed one. Mapeza did a respectable job with the Warriors in the last match in a 1-1 draw in Liberia. If Madinda wins and being more qualified and more experienced, will have a nod ahead of Mapeza for whatever contest anyone will want to place between the two. As far as I can see, there is no problem now and in the future between these professional men.

Tom Saintfeit's case does not help him as he had romped someone with links of the Far East's betting syndicates. The reports from The Chronicle stated that he had brought in a CAF/FIFA Goalkeeping specialist who had done time for corrupt deals in Singapore.  German national Lutz Pfannestiel, who served a five-month jail term in Singapore and had a one-year worldwide ban from all football activities imposed by Fifa for match-fixing, was deported back to his native country.  Maybe this particular leopard had changed it spots, I can not say. Tom may not have known that his friend was an ex-con with a lapsed FIFA ban. What would have FIFA said if Warriors goalkeepers were terribly off-form?

And to those who actually assume the deportation of the substantive coach was supposed to benefit Mapeza as an individual may be right, and if they are, and now that it didnt', does that mean the forces at work will feel heartbroken to derail the whole train just because it is not Mapeza in charge, or will sanity prevail that at least there is a cool head of an independent opinion who should have been there a long while before now? What do you think?

The 'Truth' About Tom Saintfeit Saga: I Fear Warriors Sabotage.

A divided house shall not stand, so does the Bible say and that fact is divine. Tom Saintfeit had a cool job in Namibia and parted ways with them after signing a cooler contract with the Zimbabwe national association, albeit amid in-fighting concerning his suitability. Like many of us who are not fans of foreign coaches who have come into the continent since World War 11 to impart their expertise to African coaches so that Africa can be self-sufficient-cum-reliant, the feeling that the trend will end 24 hours before the end times makes it a bitter pill to swallow.

Finally, he was appointed and is with us until yet another controvential expat signs another contract, again to impart his knowledge to local coaches. That having been a potential moral version of the excuse not to appoint the Belgian, we need to get closer to the truth. The actual truth is lethal, so we will scurry wide and long  in the periphery. For Saintfeit, Namibia is a better footballing nation. That is also the opinion of FIFA statistics mechanism that provide the ranking. That is one motivation for Tom to cross the floor. Everybody knows that when it comes to football, even my Bafana Bafana rank below the Warriors. They have been COSAFA Champions umpteenth times.

The Far East betting syndicates have been biting deep into the Southern African nation football, injecting toxic cash that has addicted a few fellows in Zimbabwe. The issue set in the rot that saw a few football officers, players and journalists being questioned by the football authorities. The Far East money has no doubt been sweet, and may have had strings attached. This would be why the bone of contention over the coach's appointment may have lied. The problem with this assumption is that it would imply that local coaches are either corrupt or can be influenced. Given the two scenarios, a betting syndicate will surely prefer a local to an expatriate, all things equal. This does not mean the expat will not eat Nando's.

Events extrapolated to an extent that Saintfeit's stay in that country was deemed illegal hence he had to be deported. That was in line with the nation's immigration laws that state that he had to be outside the country while his papers are being sorted out. The work-permit is not guaranteed. Given the circumstances preceding his appointment, success will be a miracle, at least before Sunday's Cape Verde fixture in Harare. Perhaps, that will be enough for the parties that may desire to see the local coach in charge. There has been a few cases of expat coaches being fast-tracked to get on with their jobs and I am not sure if their cases were as pressing as this one.

That said, the Technical Committee in charge of Competitions and National Teams must be recommended to act above-board. In terms of coaching qualifications, Norman Mapeza struggled with the CAF C License course, but he had been at the helm of the Warriors. His co-assistant, Madinda Ndlovu was elevated to take over as the Warriors coach until Saintfeit papers are issued, if the application for his work-permit is successful. This pushes back any doubts of whether the deportation of Saintfeit was to benefit Mapeza. As it turns out, Mapeza is still playing second fiddle. It now remains to be seen how much support and input Madinda will have to do a better job.

As it is, Ndlovu will draw comparison with Mapeza, and anyone who knows Ndlovu will tell you he does not any bull from anyone. If he does well, there will still be a battle of who is the blue-eyed one. Mapeza did a respectable job with the Warriors in the last match in a 1-1 draw in Liberia. If Madinda wins and being more qualified and more experienced, will have a nod ahead of Mapeza for whatever contest anyone will want to place between the two. As far as I can see, there is no problem now and in the future between these professional men.

Tom Saintfeit's case does not help him as he had romped someone with links of the Far East's betting syndicates. The reports from The Chronicle stated that he had brought in a CAF/FIFA Goalkeeping specialist who had done time for corrupt deals in Singapore.  German national Lutz Pfannestiel, who served a five-month jail term in Singapore and had a one-year worldwide ban from all football activities imposed by Fifa for match-fixing, was deported back to his native country.  Maybe this particular leopard had changed it spots, I can not say. Tom may not have known that his friend was an ex-con with a lapsed FIFA ban. What would have FIFA said if Warriors goalkeepers were terribly off-form?

And to those who actually assume the deportation of the substantive coach was supposed to benefit Mapeza as an individual may be right, and if they are, and now that it didnt', does that mean the forces at work will feel heartbroken to derail the whole train just because it is not Mapeza in charge, or will sanity prevail that at least there is a cool head of an independent opinion who should have been there a long while before now? What do you think?

The 'Truth' About Tom Saintfeit Saga: I Fear Warriors Sabotage.

A divided house shall not stand, so does the Bible say and that fact is divine. Tom Saintfeit had a cool job in Namibia and parted ways with them after signing a cooler contract with the Zimbabwe national association, albeit amid in-fighting concerning his suitability. Like many of us who are not fans of foreign coaches who have come into the continent since World War 11 to impart their expertise to African coaches so that Africa can be self-sufficient-cum-reliant, the feeling that the trend will end 24 hours before the end times makes it a bitter pill to swallow.

Finally, he was appointed and is with us until yet another controvential expat signs another contract, again to impart his knowledge to local coaches. That having been a potential moral version of the excuse not to appoint the Belgian, we need to get closer to the truth. The actual truth is lethal, so we will scurry wide and long  in the periphery. For Saintfeit, Namibia is a better footballing nation. That is also the opinion of FIFA statistics mechanism that provide the ranking. That is one motivation for Tom to cross the floor. Everybody knows that when it comes to football, even my Bafana Bafana rank below the Warriors. They have been COSAFA Champions umpteenth times.

The Far East betting syndicates have been biting deep into the Southern African nation football, injecting toxic cash that has addicted a few fellows in Zimbabwe. The issue set in the rot that saw a few football officers, players and journalists being questioned by the football authorities. The Far East money has no doubt been sweet, and may have had strings attached. This would be why the bone of contention over the coach's appointment may have lied. The problem with this assumption is that it would imply that local coaches are either corrupt or can be influenced. Given the two scenarios, a betting syndicate will surely prefer a local to an expatriate, all things equal. This does not mean the expat will not eat Nando's.

Events extrapolated to an extent that Saintfeit's stay in that country was deemed illegal hence he had to be deported. That was in line with the nation's immigration laws that state that he had to be outside the country while his papers are being sorted out. The work-permit is not guaranteed. Given the circumstances preceding his appointment, success will be a miracle, at least before Sunday's Cape Verde fixture in Harare. Perhaps, that will be enough for the parties that may desire to see the local coach in charge. There has been a few cases of expat coaches being fast-tracked to get on with their jobs and I am not sure if their cases were as pressing as this one.

That said, the Technical Committee in charge of Competitions and National Teams must be recommended to act above-board. In terms of coaching qualifications, Norman Mapeza struggled with the CAF C License course, but he had been at the helm of the Warriors. His co-assistant, Madinda Ndlovu was elevated to take over as the Warriors coach until Saintfeit papers are issued, if the application for his work-permit is successful. This pushes back any doubts of whether the deportation of Saintfeit was to benefit Mapeza. As it turns out, Mapeza is still playing second fiddle. It now remains to be seen how much support and input Madinda will have to do a better job.

As it is, Ndlovu will draw comparison with Mapeza, and anyone who knows Ndlovu will tell you he does not any bull from anyone. If he does well, there will still be a battle of who is the blue-eyed one. Mapeza did a respectable job with the Warriors in the last match in a 1-1 draw in Liberia. If Madinda wins and being more qualified and more experienced, will have a nod ahead of Mapeza for whatever contest anyone will want to place between the two. As far as I can see, there is no problem now and in the future between these professional men.

Tom Saintfeit's case does not help him as he had romped someone with links of the Far East's betting syndicates. The reports from The Chronicle stated that he had brought in a CAF/FIFA Goalkeeping specialist who had done time for corrupt deals in Singapore.  German national Lutz Pfannestiel, who served a five-month jail term in Singapore and had a one-year worldwide ban from all football activities imposed by Fifa for match-fixing, was deported back to his native country.  Maybe this particular leopard had changed it spots, I can not say. Tom may not have known that his friend was an ex-con with a lapsed FIFA ban. What would have FIFA said if Warriors goalkeepers were terribly off-form?

And to those who actually assume the deportation of the substantive coach was supposed to benefit Mapeza as an individual may be right, and if they are, and now that it didnt', does that mean the forces at work will feel heartbroken to derail the whole train just because it is not Mapeza in charge, or will sanity prevail that at least there is a cool head of an independent opinion who should have been there a long while before now? What do you think?

The 'Truth' About Tom Saintfeit Saga: I Fear Warriors Sabotage.

A divided house shall not stand, so does the Bible say and that fact is divine. Tom Saintfeit had a cool job in Namibia and parted ways with them after signing a cooler contract with the Zimbabwe national association, albeit amid in-fighting concerning his suitability. Like many of us who are not fans of foreign coaches who have come into the continent since World War 11 to impart their expertise to African coaches so that Africa can be self-sufficient-cum-reliant, the feeling that the trend will end 24 hours before the end times makes it a bitter pill to swallow.

Finally, he was appointed and is with us until yet another controvential expat signs another contract, again to impart his knowledge to local coaches. That having been a potential moral version of the excuse not to appoint the Belgian, we need to get closer to the truth. The actual truth is lethal, so we will scurry wide and long  in the periphery. For Saintfeit, Namibia is a better footballing nation. That is also the opinion of FIFA statistics mechanism that provide the ranking. That is one motivation for Tom to cross the floor. Everybody knows that when it comes to football, even my Bafana Bafana rank below the Warriors. They have been COSAFA Champions umpteenth times.

The Far East betting syndicates have been biting deep into the Southern African nation football, injecting toxic cash that has addicted a few fellows in Zimbabwe. The issue set in the rot that saw a few football officers, players and journalists being questioned by the football authorities. The Far East money has no doubt been sweet, and may have had strings attached. This would be why the bone of contention over the coach's appointment may have lied. The problem with this assumption is that it would imply that local coaches are either corrupt or can be influenced. Given the two scenarios, a betting syndicate will surely prefer a local to an expatriate, all things equal. This does not mean the expat will not eat Nando's.

Events extrapolated to an extent that Saintfeit's stay in that country was deemed illegal hence he had to be deported. That was in line with the nation's immigration laws that state that he had to be outside the country while his papers are being sorted out. The work-permit is not guaranteed. Given the circumstances preceding his appointment, success will be a miracle, at least before Sunday's Cape Verde fixture in Harare. Perhaps, that will be enough for the parties that may desire to see the local coach in charge. There has been a few cases of expat coaches being fast-tracked to get on with their jobs and I am not sure if their cases were as pressing as this one.

That said, the Technical Committee in charge of Competitions and National Teams must be recommended to act above-board. In terms of coaching qualifications, Norman Mapeza struggled with the CAF C License course, but he had been at the helm of the Warriors. His co-assistant, Madinda Ndlovu was elevated to take over as the Warriors coach until Saintfeit papers are issued, if the application for his work-permit is successful. This pushes back any doubts of whether the deportation of Saintfeit was to benefit Mapeza. As it turns out, Mapeza is still playing second fiddle. It now remains to be seen how much support and input Madinda will have to do a better job.

As it is, Ndlovu will draw comparison with Mapeza, and anyone who knows Ndlovu will tell you he does not any bull from anyone. If he does well, there will still be a battle of who is the blue-eyed one. Mapeza did a respectable job with the Warriors in the last match in a 1-1 draw in Liberia. If Madinda wins and being more qualified and more experienced, will have a nod ahead of Mapeza for whatever contest anyone will want to place between the two. As far as I can see, there is no problem now and in the future between these professional men.

Tom Saintfeit's case does not help him as he had romped someone with links of the Far East's betting syndicates. The reports from The Chronicle stated that he had brought in a CAF/FIFA Goalkeeping specialist who had done time for corrupt deals in Singapore.  German national Lutz Pfannestiel, who served a five-month jail term in Singapore and had a one-year worldwide ban from all football activities imposed by Fifa for match-fixing, was deported back to his native country.  Maybe this particular leopard had changed it spots, I can not say. Tom may not have known that his friend was an ex-con with a lapsed FIFA ban. What would have FIFA said if Warriors goalkeepers were terribly off-form?

And to those who actually assume the deportation of the substantive coach was supposed to benefit Mapeza as an individual may be right, and if they are, and now that it didnt', does that mean the forces at work will feel heartbroken to derail the whole train just because it is not Mapeza in charge, or will sanity prevail that at least there is a cool head of an independent opinion who should have been there a long while before now? What do you think?

The 'Truth' About Tom Saintfeit Saga: I Fear Warriors Sabotage.

A divided house shall not stand, so does the Bible say and that fact is divine. Tom Saintfeit had a cool job in Namibia and parted ways with them after signing a cooler contract with the Zimbabwe national association, albeit amid in-fighting concerning his suitability. Like many of us who are not fans of foreign coaches who have come into the continent since World War 11 to impart their expertise to African coaches so that Africa can be self-sufficient-cum-reliant, the feeling that the trend will end 24 hours before the end times makes it a bitter pill to swallow.

Finally, he was appointed and is with us until yet another controvential expat signs another contract, again to impart his knowledge to local coaches. That having been a potential moral version of the excuse not to appoint the Belgian, we need to get closer to the truth. The actual truth is lethal, so we will scurry wide and long  in the periphery. For Saintfeit, Namibia is a better footballing nation. That is also the opinion of FIFA statistics mechanism that provide the ranking. That is one motivation for Tom to cross the floor. Everybody knows that when it comes to football, even my Bafana Bafana rank below the Warriors. They have been COSAFA Champions umpteenth times.

The Far East betting syndicates have been biting deep into the Southern African nation football, injecting toxic cash that has addicted a few fellows in Zimbabwe. The issue set in the rot that saw a few football officers, players and journalists being questioned by the football authorities. The Far East money has no doubt been sweet, and may have had strings attached. This would be why the bone of contention over the coach's appointment may have lied. The problem with this assumption is that it would imply that local coaches are either corrupt or can be influenced. Given the two scenarios, a betting syndicate will surely prefer a local to an expatriate, all things equal. This does not mean the expat will not eat Nando's.

Events extrapolated to an extent that Saintfeit's stay in that country was deemed illegal hence he had to be deported. That was in line with the nation's immigration laws that state that he had to be outside the country while his papers are being sorted out. The work-permit is not guaranteed. Given the circumstances preceding his appointment, success will be a miracle, at least before Sunday's Cape Verde fixture in Harare. Perhaps, that will be enough for the parties that may desire to see the local coach in charge. There has been a few cases of expat coaches being fast-tracked to get on with their jobs and I am not sure if their cases were as pressing as this one.

That said, the Technical Committee in charge of Competitions and National Teams must be recommended to act above-board. In terms of coaching qualifications, Norman Mapeza struggled with the CAF C License course, but he had been at the helm of the Warriors. His co-assistant, Madinda Ndlovu was elevated to take over as the Warriors coach until Saintfeit papers are issued, if the application for his work-permit is successful. This pushes back any doubts of whether the deportation of Saintfeit was to benefit Mapeza. As it turns out, Mapeza is still playing second fiddle. It now remains to be seen how much support and input Madinda will have to do a better job.

As it is, Ndlovu will draw comparison with Mapeza, and anyone who knows Ndlovu will tell you he does not any bull from anyone. If he does well, there will still be a battle of who is the blue-eyed one. Mapeza did a respectable job with the Warriors in the last match in a 1-1 draw in Liberia. If Madinda wins and being more qualified and more experienced, will have a nod ahead of Mapeza for whatever contest anyone will want to place between the two. As far as I can see, there is no problem now and in the future between these professional men.

Tom Saintfeit's case does not help him as he had romped someone with links of the Far East's betting syndicates. The reports from The Chronicle stated that he had brought in a CAF/FIFA Goalkeeping specialist who had done time for corrupt deals in Singapore.  German national Lutz Pfannestiel, who served a five-month jail term in Singapore and had a one-year worldwide ban from all football activities imposed by Fifa for match-fixing, was deported back to his native country.  Maybe this particular leopard had changed it spots, I can not say. Tom may not have known that his friend was an ex-con with a lapsed FIFA ban. What would have FIFA said if Warriors goalkeepers were terribly off-form?

And to those who actually assume the deportation of the substantive coach was supposed to benefit Mapeza as an individual may be right, and if they are, and now that it didnt', does that mean the forces at work will feel heartbroken to derail the whole train just because it is not Mapeza in charge, or will sanity prevail that at least there is a cool head of an independent opinion who should have been there a long while before now? What do you think?