HARARE - Zimbabwe’s Warriors yesterday hailed Zifa President Phillip Chiyangwa for bringing stability to the national soccer team and urged him to go out of his way to look for more sponsors like flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo.
Speaking from Johannesburg yesterday, Warriors captain Willard Katsande said Chiyangwa came at the right time for football after years of decline under the leadership of previous regimes.
Katsande was reacting to State media reports yesterday which railed into Chiyangwa and Chivayo.
Said Katsande: “As Warriors we are more than happy with the new Zifa board under...Chiyangwa, he is a practical man who wants to ensure that players are happy and that we get our dues. Right now, we are not owed anything and all the players are happy.
“Our football has reached a stage where it is now steady but we always get surprised that some people want to disturb the ship when it is sailing properly under...Chiyangwa.
“I have been talking to a number of my teammates in the national team, and they are all surprised that back home, there are people who are busy deliberately creating problems for the Warriors by trying to push away our sponsors, we will not succumb to that.”
After yesterday’s attacks in the State media, Chivayo reportedly threatened to stop supporting the Warriors saying his image was now being tarnished although he was financially supporting them.
Describing the criticism on Chivayo as “blatantly unfair”, the furious national team players said the businessman cannot be blamed for any late payments but insisted that they are not owed anything by Zifa.