Mike's Take

With the return of football in Zimbabwe still up in the air, Mike Madoda teams up with Barry Manandi to discuss whether the proposed two-week bubble concept is even worth doing and how the football family needs to be more strategic in their thinking.

Despite football being Zimbabwe’s most popular sport, unmatchable in participation and following, it continues to play second-fiddle to the so-called elite codes, rugby, cricket and golf. Recent developments around the return of action seem to suggest that elitism remains entrenched.

With the world of sport in turmoil as a result of COVID-19, the cancellation of all sports activities has bought time for Zimbabwean football to bring order to the game. Although under unfortunate circumstances, it’s a unique opportunity that must not be missed.

*I’m joined by former Zimbabwe international Alois Bunjira and renowned sportscaster Barry Manandi..

With the world of sport in turmoil as a result of COVID-19, the cancellation of all sports activities has bought time for Zimbabwean football to bring order to the game. Although under unfortunate circumstances, it’s a unique opportunity that must not be missed.

*I’m joined by former Zimbabwe international Alois Bunjira and renowned sportscaster Barry Manandi..

Zimbabwe’s sports infrastructure has come under scrutiny after CAF declared that none of the country’s stadiums were fit for purpose. It’s an embarrassment to the soccer fraternity, but the challenges around infrastructure and facilities reach beyond the beautiful game.

Defeat for Zimbabwe in the one-off test versus Bangladesh has come as a timely reminder of the defects and deficiencies at Zimbabwe Cricket. Until the system is fixed, Zimbabwe will continue to produce half-baked cricketers who can’t quite cut it at international level.

Manchester City has been banned from European competition for 2 years and fined €30 million for flouting UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules. But how fair are the regulations? And isn’t it just a case of the traditional elite ring-fencing their position in light of the threat to their dominance on and off the field?

Year after year, children are being asked to pay for the right to represent Zimbabwe at international rugby tournaments. Beside the obvious issues around affordability and the capacity of parents to pay, there are deeper moral and ethical issues around whether selection to national teams in schoolboy rugby is now the preserve of the wealthy.

Zimbabwe champions FC Platinum have just concluded their latest CAF Champions League campaign and there seems to be no sign of progress as they once again failed to measure up against the best Africa has to offer.

ZIFA have announced a new coach, Zdravko Logarušić. Little known on these shores, what does the Croat bring to the table?