Sunday Chidzambwa barred from watching Dembare, Bosso clash

THE Premier Soccer League have said the embarrassing incident in which Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambwa was turned away from the Easter Monday blockbuster clash between Dynamos and Highlanders at Rufaro could have been avoided.

The league's spokesperson, Kudzai Bare, yesterday described the episode as unfortunate after The Herald revealed that Chidzambwa was forced to return home after being frustrated at the entry points.

Social media has been buzzing and criticising the behaviour by the officials manning the gates for the gross disrespect they showed to the De- Mbare legend.

Chidzambwa, ironically, is the most successful Dynamos coach of all time.

England-based ZIFA consultant Marshall Gore, who has played a critical role in persuading Zimbabwean players who were either born or grew up in England to come back and feature for the Warriors, was critical of the way Chidzambwa was treated.

Gore is home on a working visit.

"I was so disappointed and pained to the bone to witness Zimbabwe national team head coach, Sunday 'Mhofu' Chidzambwa, being refused entry into Rufaro Stadium by stewards and security manning the gates on behalf of the home team Dynamos FC.

"I was in his company. It was so humiliating and undermining to see a national team coach being declined the opportunity to watch and assess players for the national team in such a big game, an important domestic fixture.

"Whoever made this decision or authorised it is an enemy of football. I tried frantically to persuade the stewards to allow Mhofu in and offered to pay for his VIP ticket but they insisted that he should queue up like everyone else.

"So disrespectful and undermining. Eventually Mhofu had to go home. This was totally out of order. The PSL should never allow this to happen again.

"Let's learn to respect our own coaches and former players. Mhofu is part and parcel of the history of Dynamos Football Club. He deserves better treatment from the club and the PSL authorities," Gore wrote on his Facebook page.

However, Bare said Chidzambwa, in his capacity as the national team coach, should have produced his privilege card to gain entrance into the stadium.

"What happened to the coach was very unfortunate.

"In terms of match entry, everyone who goes through the gates, including myself or any employee of the PSL, should produce accreditation card.

"Failure to do that could make it difficult for the officers at the gates because we have very tight systems whereby the officers are under strict instruction to let in only the accredited people or those paying their way in.

"We recognise that there are some important stakeholders in football and that is the reason we have introduced privilege cards.

"In this regard, the national team coach is a very important stakeholder. We cannot run away from the fact that the PSL is a feeder to the national team.

"As national team coach I am sure he should be accredited. If he has his accreditation we don't expect that he will face any challenges at the gates. If he is not accredited, then he still has to get accreditation because there is that provision," said Bare.

The former DeMbare coach was not interested in discussing the event.

"I wouldn't want to say anything about that issue. To me it's water under the bridge. I'd rather the story die quietly.

"I think it was just an issue of poor management at the gates. But we usually don't encounter such inconveniences at other football matches," said Chidzambwa.