Sports / Soccer
Zifa's big day
05 Dec 2015 at 02:17hrs | Views
AFTER months of waiting, the domestic football family will today know the man who will be ushered into the hot seat to lead it for the next 15 months and try to pluck the game from a debt trap that has been threatening to drown it.
Cuthbert Dube and his board left the game after a five-year experiment that went awry.
Four men are in the running to lead the association and, as of last night, Harare businessman Philip Chiyangwa was leading the contest.
Leslie Gwindi, James Takavada and former ZIFA chairman Trevor Carelse-Juul are hoping to get the vote of the councillors and win the top post.
PHILIP CHIYANGWA
He was the first to declare his candidature and appears to have done all the early running and, if the opinion polls are to be trusted, he is set to be named the ZIFA boss today in a first round crushing victory.
He revealed in his election manifesto that it has been his life-long dream to serve football and lead the domestic game.
The 59-year-old launched a vigorous campaign that included a tour of all the country's provinces, adverts in the mainstream media and also co-opted a number of key constituents to rally behind him.
Chiyangwa's catch words have been: Rebuild! Restore! Reposition!
He says he has a plan to dissolve ZIFA's crippling debt, believed to be hovering around $6m, and says his business connections will come in handy.
However, some have questioned his background in football but he says that the fact that he has been in the trenches, in the grassroots, doesn't mean that he hasn't been active in football administration.
He received the support of Soccer Africa pundit, Idah Pieterside, who on Thursday night told the SuperSport weekly football magazine programme that the domestic game right now needs a man who can unlock revenue streams and resolve its debt crisis.
Chiyangwa says he will not remain in charge of ZIFA, beyond 2018, and has promised to hand over the baton to Farai Jere, who was a firm favourite among Councillors, to lead the Association, before he pulled out and backed the property mogul.
LESLIE GWINDI
Leslie Gwindi is now running for the same office for the third consecutive time and his camp believe this could be third time lucky for their man.
The former Dynamos secretary-general and Harare City chairman wants the re-establishment of the respect for the constitution, re-establishment of the authority of the ZIFA Assembly, restructuring the secretariat, grassroots football development for both boys and girls, good corporate governance and sound financial management.
Gwindi says, once elected into office, he will institute major reforms at the national association to restore integrity and confidence among the stakeholders as the first step to get Zimbabwean football back on its feet.
Gwindi revealed he has a workable debt settling strategy which include the transparent engagement of creditors.
He also strongly feels the next ZIFA board must come up with a robust strategic document which can still be referred to by football administrators in the years to come on the way Zimbabwe football should take.
He will dedicate his first six months in office to establishing a five-year plan which must be measurable and with time-frames.
JAMES TAKAVADA
The 1984 Soccer Star of the year believes it is now time to give ex-footballers a chance to take charge of the game.
He says former footballers should have a big say in the way ZIFA operates and this can be achieved by bringing in a former player at the helm of the association.
He plans to restore ZIFA's credibility, increase transparency, accountability, improve the governance and protect the integrity of the game.
Takavada said Zimbabwe does not deserve to be sitting outside the top 100 on the FIFA rankings and the game needs someone who has been in the trenches as a footballer
He says ZIFA structures need to be re-aligned and will only improve with the inclusion of councillors in decision making.
He believes that a lot needs to be done towards the provision of infrastructure and grassroots development.
In 1984, Takavada was the Soccer Star of the Year when he turned out for Ziscosteel.
He has played for Gweru United and Darryn Tornadoes.
TREVOR CARELSE-JUUL
The South Africa-based businessman is hoping to get it right this time around after losing the last election to Cuthbert Dube in a run-off.
He feels this could be his best chance to land the position.
Juul has promised to bring back the "Dream Team" days once elected into office, as reflected by the catch-line "Dream Team to Reality" in his manifesto.
His mission will be to identify, develop and support talented young players to reach their potential at home and abroad.
He also wants to see a ZIFA that has sustainable revenue streams commercially managed in a transparent manner.
He also wants to see greater respect for the football fraternity, integrity, honesty, fair play and accountability.
Carelse-Juul played top-flight football for Eagles and Dynamos before becoming the youngest ever coach, aged 26, to guide the record Zimbabwean champions.
He then served as zifa chairman in the early 1990s before he left office in 1993 after being replaced by Leo Mugabe.
His candidature, however, has been haunted by his dark past which is littered with allegations of corruption during the construction of the Angwa City building in Harare which was done by his company.
Carelse-Juul, however, claims he is innocent and a born again Christian who believes he has the calling to be the ZIFA boss today.
Cuthbert Dube and his board left the game after a five-year experiment that went awry.
Four men are in the running to lead the association and, as of last night, Harare businessman Philip Chiyangwa was leading the contest.
Leslie Gwindi, James Takavada and former ZIFA chairman Trevor Carelse-Juul are hoping to get the vote of the councillors and win the top post.
PHILIP CHIYANGWA
He was the first to declare his candidature and appears to have done all the early running and, if the opinion polls are to be trusted, he is set to be named the ZIFA boss today in a first round crushing victory.
He revealed in his election manifesto that it has been his life-long dream to serve football and lead the domestic game.
The 59-year-old launched a vigorous campaign that included a tour of all the country's provinces, adverts in the mainstream media and also co-opted a number of key constituents to rally behind him.
Chiyangwa's catch words have been: Rebuild! Restore! Reposition!
He says he has a plan to dissolve ZIFA's crippling debt, believed to be hovering around $6m, and says his business connections will come in handy.
However, some have questioned his background in football but he says that the fact that he has been in the trenches, in the grassroots, doesn't mean that he hasn't been active in football administration.
He received the support of Soccer Africa pundit, Idah Pieterside, who on Thursday night told the SuperSport weekly football magazine programme that the domestic game right now needs a man who can unlock revenue streams and resolve its debt crisis.
Chiyangwa says he will not remain in charge of ZIFA, beyond 2018, and has promised to hand over the baton to Farai Jere, who was a firm favourite among Councillors, to lead the Association, before he pulled out and backed the property mogul.
LESLIE GWINDI
Leslie Gwindi is now running for the same office for the third consecutive time and his camp believe this could be third time lucky for their man.
The former Dynamos secretary-general and Harare City chairman wants the re-establishment of the respect for the constitution, re-establishment of the authority of the ZIFA Assembly, restructuring the secretariat, grassroots football development for both boys and girls, good corporate governance and sound financial management.
Gwindi says, once elected into office, he will institute major reforms at the national association to restore integrity and confidence among the stakeholders as the first step to get Zimbabwean football back on its feet.
Gwindi revealed he has a workable debt settling strategy which include the transparent engagement of creditors.
He also strongly feels the next ZIFA board must come up with a robust strategic document which can still be referred to by football administrators in the years to come on the way Zimbabwe football should take.
He will dedicate his first six months in office to establishing a five-year plan which must be measurable and with time-frames.
JAMES TAKAVADA
The 1984 Soccer Star of the year believes it is now time to give ex-footballers a chance to take charge of the game.
He says former footballers should have a big say in the way ZIFA operates and this can be achieved by bringing in a former player at the helm of the association.
He plans to restore ZIFA's credibility, increase transparency, accountability, improve the governance and protect the integrity of the game.
Takavada said Zimbabwe does not deserve to be sitting outside the top 100 on the FIFA rankings and the game needs someone who has been in the trenches as a footballer
He says ZIFA structures need to be re-aligned and will only improve with the inclusion of councillors in decision making.
He believes that a lot needs to be done towards the provision of infrastructure and grassroots development.
In 1984, Takavada was the Soccer Star of the Year when he turned out for Ziscosteel.
He has played for Gweru United and Darryn Tornadoes.
TREVOR CARELSE-JUUL
The South Africa-based businessman is hoping to get it right this time around after losing the last election to Cuthbert Dube in a run-off.
He feels this could be his best chance to land the position.
Juul has promised to bring back the "Dream Team" days once elected into office, as reflected by the catch-line "Dream Team to Reality" in his manifesto.
His mission will be to identify, develop and support talented young players to reach their potential at home and abroad.
He also wants to see a ZIFA that has sustainable revenue streams commercially managed in a transparent manner.
He also wants to see greater respect for the football fraternity, integrity, honesty, fair play and accountability.
Carelse-Juul played top-flight football for Eagles and Dynamos before becoming the youngest ever coach, aged 26, to guide the record Zimbabwean champions.
He then served as zifa chairman in the early 1990s before he left office in 1993 after being replaced by Leo Mugabe.
His candidature, however, has been haunted by his dark past which is littered with allegations of corruption during the construction of the Angwa City building in Harare which was done by his company.
Carelse-Juul, however, claims he is innocent and a born again Christian who believes he has the calling to be the ZIFA boss today.
Source - the herald
