Open Letter To Warriors Coach Zdravko Logarusic
25 July 2021
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Dear Loga

I write this letter with a heavy heart in both hats as a sports journalist and patriotic citizen who has religiously and passionately followed local football and participated in it, alas at lower level.

With all due respect my dear brother Zdravko Logarusic, the dozen games you have barked orders on the Warriors bench, you have broken records of failure.

You are the best example of one of the most underperforming Warriors gaffers of our time although we lend an ear to your perennial excuses.

Naturally as Zimbabweans, we are very hospitable, soccer loving nation and we are good listeners such that we have given you the ear for the umpteenth time despite the marathon failures and shame to our local football.

My dear brother I like your sense of humor but let me put it to you that for the first time, the squad which travelled for COSAFA tourney came back home without a win- not even a consolation!

Something which is a virgin case in our football journey where you are the captain of the ship which I believe is headed for the ‘worst’ and sinking without even hitting an iceberg.

Your performance at COSAFA Cup was pathetic and re remincient of the equally nightmarish performance at the CHAN finals, where you broke records for the wrong reasons, after losing all the matches, in Cameroon, umm my brother you need to pull up your stockings.

Look here my dear brother , we have never won the AFCON neither have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup so it is an insult to tell us that your mandate is focused on the two tourneys.

If I can be honest with you ,my dear coach, the COSAFA CUP matters to us dearly, if you check in the trophy cabinet at number 53 Livingstone Road we have won that prestigious cup for a record six times.

We obviously strive for the world cup just like any politicians stives for presidency or any shebben owner wants to be shebeen queen, focusing on the World Cup is premature.

We need to go back from the basics and avoid putting the cart before the horse!

Let me remind you that you also blew a 17-match unbeaten record when you lost 2-0 to Namibia.

That was an epoch, way of life that is not supposed to happen again!

Are you here to build or to destroy?

With one win, three draws and six losses in 11 competitive matches since February 2020, our success rate under your nose is 18 percent, which is pathetic and unacceptable

To make matters worse we have only preformed better than Madagascar (13 percent) in the COSAFA region during the same period.

What angers most of us is that our performance is also rated below Comoros who are seating at 24 percent my dear brother and coach this is shocking

Some might argue that you are enjoying the privilege of a visiting cousin who cannot be reprimanded.

Just imagine if you were Joey Antipas, ZIFA could have held several crisis meetings to question your stamina as the coach.

When Mafero drew with Botswana at the National Sports Stadium, he was jeered and booed by the fans.

Will you be able to handle such pressure when fans are allowed back in the stadia

I have a question which was also asked by a Dynamos and Warriors staunch supporter Tinashe ‘Pfapfi’ Chakadza

He questioned your decision of leaving Caps United forward Ishmael Wadi in your squad which travelled to South Africa.

Wadi has been terrorizing defenders in the Chibuku super cup and I believe if my eyes are still correct, I saw you at National Sports Stadium when Caps United drew against Dynamos.

If you have sometime, which I know you do have, please go on social media and watch Caps United vs YADAH FC when Makepeke came from behind to level matters, it was Wadi who scored that brace.

I actually laughed when Chakadza asked me the reason why you always find something to blame whenever you fail.

“Jambaya, why does he always hide behind his fingers, he should man up and own up,” queried Chakadza.

Like I said before get some time to watch the Chibuku Super Cup footage, you will definitely find out that you left several players who include Denver Mukamba ,Silas Songani, Edgar Mhungu,Peter Chota,Rodwell Chinyengetere, Nqobizitha Ncube, Frank Makarati ,Isaa ‘Chidhedhe’ Sadiki and Kelvin Madzongwe to mention but a few.

Suprisingly, you have the audacity to tell the nation that you failed to achieve at COSAFA because some players tested positive to the deadly virus of COVID 19 what about those whom you left?

Remember how you have dropped one of our best left backs Devine Lunga because of your pettiness, we all wish to see him back in the squad, he is the guy who literally put Mohammad Salah in his pocket in Egypt.

You tried telling us that it is because our league is not active that is why we performed like school boys at COSAFA but wait a minute, you lost to the Brave warriors of Namibia who are in the same predicament with Zimbabwe.

Come September, we are playing South Africa let me take this time to remind you that it is a derby and a lot is at stake, we do not want to lose that match at all cost.

Frankly speaking we have lost hope in you but the hope in you the only hope we have is hope.

May the grace (not Grace Mugabe) be with us we tired of being Worriers!

As I close my case , may you please stay away from Covid 19, and observe all guidelines, our brothers in sport and out of sport are dying.Stay safe brother .

Yours In Football

Philemon Jambaya

[email protected] +263775410808