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Rashford to pen new deal

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Manchester United are close to securing the future of Marcus Rashford, with the striker tipped to pen a bumper new six-year deal.

Rashford had been heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford when Jose Mourinho was in charge, with the likes of Juventus and Real Madrid known to be keen.

However, the 21-year-old has been a revelation since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge, firing home six Premier League goals in his last 8 appearances.

Such form led Solskjaer to say United have arguably the best striker in the league on their hands, so it is no surprise they are keen to get him tied down to fresh terms.

Rashford’s contract is due to expire in June 2020, but reports claim his new deal will go way beyond that and keep him on board until at least 2025.

The deal would make him one of the top earners at the club and he looks sure to commit his future rather than pursue a deal away from the club.

United will hope Rashford can continue his fine form when they take on Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

source:the herald

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Matsika burial on today

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Mukudzei Chingwere Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Under-23 team manager Kisdo Matsika, who died in Gweru on Wednesday, will be buried at a local cemetery this morning.

He died after a short illness, robbing the country of one of its most passionate players in the development of junior football.

Family representative, Solomon Matsika, outlined the burial arrangements of the former Gweru United superstar.

“His body is at Nyaradzo funeral parlour here in Gweru, and will be coming home late today (yesterday).

“Burial will be done tomorrow (today) at Destiny Memorial Park at 11am but as per our culture, in the morning at 8am we will conduct a service before taking him to his final resting place,” said Matsika.

Matsika was working closely with the national Under-23 head coach Tonderayi Ndiraya ahead of their game next month. “It is a sad loss, we were looking forward to working together in the Under-23 set-up but such is life, and may his soul rest in eternal peace.

“I was trying to get hold of him recently but was failing to get in touch and was really worried, only to hear that he has passed on, it is quite painful,” said Ndiraya.

source:the herald

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NetOne demands top-four finish

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BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

MOBILE network company NetOne has given Harare football giants Caps United a target of a top-four finish as one of the conditions before the consummation of a new partnership ahead of the start of the campaign next month.

NetOne have been the principal sponsors of Dynamos, Caps United and Highlanders in the last campaign where they took care of players’ salaries, among other things.

Apart from the Big Three, NetOne have also been bankrolling army side Black Rhinos and air force side Chapungu.

However, with the contracts having ended last year, the parties are back to the drawing board seeking another commercial partnership.

At Caps United, players reportedly embarked on industrial action demanding their dues last week and this week.

However, Caps United vice-president Nhamo Tutisani, who addressed the players at their training ground in Mount Pleasant yesterday, dismissed reports that they were on industrial action.

“Our players are not on strike. They have been training as usual, but of course, they want their dues, so we have been engaged in dialogue and they have been co-operative. They have been coming to training,” he said.

“We are still negotiating with our sponsor, so this has caused the delay in payment of the players’ dues. But the good thing is that our players have been very understanding and are coming for training as usual and once we are done with our sponsors, they will be paid.”

The Harare businessman, whose team has been on the forefront in professionalising the domestic game, stressed the need for players to work hard and play good football in order to give the sponsors value for their money.

The Caps United vice-president said they had no problems with conditions being set by their sponsors because they also want returns.

“As former champions, we have an obligation to give our sponsors value for their money. They (sponsors) want returns, so we need to work hard as a team and this is what we have been telling players. They should compete and play good football which draws huge crowds to the stadium,” the Caps United boss said.

Caps United coach Lloyd Chitembwe, who has been assessing a number of players with a view to signing them, said he had been impressed by former Dynamos trio of Valentine Ndaba, Carlos Rusere and goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga, among other trialists.

Chitembwe, however, said he was left with two slots, and was yet to make up his mind on who among a host of trialists to take on board.

“I am yet to decide. We are left with two slots, but what I can say is that Ndaba, Mateyaunga and Rusere have done very well, they have impressed,” he said.

Caps are remoulding a team which they believe can deliver honours this term.

The 2016 champions endured a difficult campaign last term in which they finished 30 points behind eventual champions FC Platinum.

source:newsday

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Zim swimmers impress at CANA IV

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By Freeman Makopa

Zimbabwe’s junior swimmers put up an impressive show at the CANA Zone IV Swimming Championships held in Windhoek, Namibia, scooping 36 medals.

The Zimbabwean team brought home 13 gold, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals to finish an overall fourth position on the medals tally.

The curtain came down on Wednesday for this year’s edition, with the South African team topping the medal table with a total of 102 medals across three disciplines (swimming, open water and water polo), followed closely by the host nation with 90 medals, Mauritius with 47 medals and Zimbabwe with 36 medals.

Swimming sensation Vhenekai Dhemba took the competition by storm, winning two gold medals to her tally, in the 100m freestyle in 1:06.62 and the 200m individual medley in 2:48.83, while 13-year-old Mkhuseli Mahobele gave an impressive performance in the 200m butterfly event finishing in a time of 2:49.18 just behind Mauritius’ Ines Gebert, who finished in 2:38.25 and got bronze.

Cory Werrett took home bronze and silver in the 50m freestyle in 26.76 and 26.68, respectively.

In the 200m butterfly category, another youngster, Quinton Tayali, grabbed silver in a tight competition slightly behind Seychelles’ Mathieu Bachmann.

The 100m butterfly gold was claimed by Ashley Makuwa (17) in 1:17.02.

Zimbabwe’s U18 water polo ladies team won the gold medal by defeating South Africa’s U16 team by 12 goals to 11 in the final penalty shoot out.

The game ended in a 7-7 draw after the full-time whistle and after the penalties also ended in a 4-4 draw; Zimbabwe then scored the golden goal to win the title.

Zimbabwe’s U18 team lost by 12 goals to 5 to South Africa’s U16 men’s team, which went on to win the championship title.

The South African U15 men’s development team proved to be stronger than the Zimbabwe team after they came out victorious in their final match of the tournament, winning by 12 goals to 3 to claim the gold medal.

source:newsday

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Schools tennis tourney on today

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BY FORTUNE MBELE

THE 2019 inter-provincial schools tennis tournament kicks off at Prince Edward High School and St John’s College in Harare today, with 24 players from four provinces expected to take part in the competition.

The competition runs from today and ends on Sunday.

Tournament organiser Nesbert Chirewa yesterday said all was set for the competition, which will see each of the four competing provinces — Harare, Mashonaland East, Matabeleland and Midlands — providing four players apiece.

“Everything is in place for the tennis tournament, which starts tomorrow (today) morning and we have the Under-19s at Prince Edward and the Under-15s at St John’s schools.
Schools competed in their respective provinces and selected representatives of four players each that are taking part in the competition. We have teams coming from Matabeleland, Midlands, Mashonaland East and Harare,” he said.

Chirewa said there were only two players from Mashonaland West and they had been integrated into the Harare team.

“We will draw the players into pools and they play in a league format and then proceed into a knock-out stage to decide the winners. In the competition, we will select a Zimbabwe schools national team that will travel to South Africa next month,” he said.

Adonis Jerome, of Prince Edward High, is favourite to win the Under-19 boys’ category, with Kumal Mohamed of Hellenics Academy being another player to watch in that section.
In the Under-15s, St George’s College duo of Benedict Badza and Mikhil Raja will be the two players to watch in that category.

source:newsday

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Masomere trusts his Wisdom

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BY KENNETH NYANGANI

MANICA Diamonds gaffer Luke Masomere has praised attacker Wisdom Mutasa for his hard work, as the former Dynamos and Caps United forward looks to relaunch his career at the Eastern Highlands-based side.

Masomere hinted that Mutasa, who struggled to knuckle down a regular place at Caps United last season, will be a regular feature for his side as they start life in the top-flight league.

Mutasa bemoaned lack of game time at Caps United, which prompted him to look elsewhere and he has found a home at Manica Diamonds.

He has been starting in the club’s friendly matches and the most recent was in their 2-1 win against Black Rhinos.

“Mutasa needs our support. We are going to give him the game time that he badly needs and I also promise my other players that they are also getting a fair shot because we want to build a healthy competition for places in the team,” Masomere said.

“He (Mutasa) is a good player and he is coming up well. I am happy with the effort he is putting during our training sessions. I know that he wants to achieve something this year.”

Mutasa was among high-profile players who joined the ambitious Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC)-owned side following their promotion from the Eastern region Division One League.

Other players who joined the club include former Dynamos defender Partson Jaure, goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube, as well as Marshall Mudehwe, who came in from FC Platinum.
Masomere said he was still working on combinations.

“This is a completely new team and I am worried with combinations. This is the reason why we will try to play many friendly matches. We are unlike, for example, Herentals, which did not change their side that played in Division One,” he said.

“So, on the issue of combinations, they were not affected, but we still have a lot of time to work on the issue of combinations and we are doing well with our preparations so far.”

source:newsday

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TelOne snap up Chapungu midfielder

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BY TERRY MADYAUTA

TelOne FC have acquired the services of veteran midfielder James Jam from cross-town rivals Chapungu as they bid to assemble a strong squad ahead of their maiden season in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.

Jam was one of the airmen’s stand-out players last season, having joined them during the mid-season transfer window.

He joins TelOne as a free agent after his contract with the Rodwell Dlakama-coached side lapsed at the end of December last year.

The 32-year-old former Harare City attacking midfielder was not keen on extending his stay at the Air Force side, after opting for a new lease of life at the Wifi Boys.

Though no details of the contract could be obtained, TelOne coach Joel Lupahla confirmed the arrival of Jam, who he expects to bring in top-flight experience to a side that comprises mostly Premiership novices.

“He asked to join us after his contract expired in December and we agreed to take him on since we were looking for an experienced midfielder,” Lupahla said.

“I think he will be of value to us and I think Jam and Clemence Matawu are a rare breed in our country. These guys don’t need too much coaching unlike other players.”

Jam will join forces with another veteran striker Jacob Muzokomba in forming the backbone of the youthful Wifi Boys.

source:newsday

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Bodybuilders brace for Fitness expo

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BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

LOCAL bodybuilding enthusiasts are bracing up for this year’s GS Classics and Fitness expo, which will be held at the weekend at the Fitness for Her Gym at Harare’s Highglen Shopping Mall.

It will be the first time GS Classics hosts the championships, with various bodybuilders expected to battle it out for honours.

National Federation of Zimbabwe Bodybuilding and Fitness (NFZBF) secretary-general Quiet Shangai said he was expecting an exciting event.

“It will be the first time a district show is held at GS Classics and it’s open to all athletes. This year’s show will be a big event in the sense that it will include things like seminars that will be conducted to educate people on the issue of fitness and benefits,” he said.

“Our athletes will compete in seven categories, which include: junior men bodybuilding, senior men bodybuilding, man’s physique and bikini model, while power challenges will have deadlift, squat and bench press. We have also included aerobics, of which teams of seven, including the instructor, will exhibit their step aerobics skills. Prizes will also be awarded to the best-dressed and most-organised teams.”

Shangai said the sponsors have poured in $5 000 for the competition.

He said they were looking forward to recruiting more athletes into the sport, especially those from the high-density suburbs who have an interest in the sport, but have limited resources.

source:newsday

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Zifa boss dreams big, but . . .

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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
ZIFA are reeling under a US$8 million debt, but their president Felton Kamambo says he intends to build a hotel and build a state-of-the-art headquarters for the association.

He also says ZIFA intend to buy an Outside Broadcasting Van during his term as the leader of domestic football. Kamambo addressed the continent, for the first time since coming to power in December last year, when he was the special guest at the weekly Soccer Africa football magazine television programme on DStv. He was in the company of panellists Jeff Katala, Thomas Kwenaite and Idah Peterside. The ZIFA boss said his target was taking the Warriors to the World Cup finals while he also outlined a number of projects which his leadership will undertake:

Building a state-of-the-art ZIFA headquarters with a gym and other facilities, including football fields, which can be used by five-aside teams and beach footballers.
Building a hotel which will accommodate the national teams, at any given time, enabling the association to avoid the expenses related to having the teams camp at city hotels.
Targeting to use the hotel to generate funds for the association with the facility also being opened to private clients once it’s fully operational.
Building regional offices in two of the four ZIFA regions in the Eastern and Central provinces to decentralise the operations of the association.
Coming up with some income-generating projects, with the assistance of FIFA and other partners, and also venture into sportswear manufacturing.
Plans are underway for ZIFA to buy an Outside Broadcasting Van to cut the prohibitive costs that come with the live coverage of matches for the Warriors
While Kamambo said ZIFA would receive funding from FIFA to help them in some of these projects, Katala, a Congolese football pundit, reminded him that only US$5 million comes into the coffers of associations from the world football controlling body every year and that would not be enough to underwrite all these projects.

The ZIFA president said they would target some other partners and he was confident most of the projects they were pursuing were going to be implemented.

Former ZIFA president, Cuthbert Dube, also wants promised he would lead the organisation into some farming ventures to raise money for its operations. However, that project never saw the light of the day.

‘’It’s been hectic,’’ Kamambo said of the time he has been in charge of ZIFA which has already seen him travel to Senegal, Turkey and South Africa where he is leading a delegation from the association at an exchange programme.

‘’We wish the hours of the day could be increased to 48 hours so that we could spend 24 hours working on football. We would like to take it (domestic football) to greater heights.

‘’We want to unite the football family of Zimbabwe and we want to take our football to greater heights. We want to get to the World Cup, the real World Cup, we want Zimbabwe to get there, we are very positive that we can take Zimbabwe to the World Cup like the one in 2022.

‘’We have a plan to take our football to greater heights. It’s not about the money that I have, it’s about the football brains that I have which can take Zimbabwean football to the level we want to get to.

‘’We have some pillars that we have set up as the board. We need to have the infrastructure, we have FAF funds from FIFA. We have targeted that we have a state-of-the-art ZIFA headquarters with a gym and many other facilities…and to a greater extent a hotel which can accommodate, maybe, our three national teams there at any given time.

‘’We need to come up with some income-generating projects, of course, we will get assistance from FIFA. We also need to get some partners, we have some projects that we intend to do, the hotel that we intend to build at our ZIFA head office, we expect it to bring some income for us.’’

Kamambo said they were sitting on a debt of US$8.4 million, which they inherited, but said while the previous leadership chose not to engage he creditors, they had chosen the path of engagement to deal with these challenges.

‘’We want them (the creditors) to give is a waiting period, a time frame, so that we can make a plan to liquidate the legacy debt,’’ he said.

‘’We also want to buy a broadcasting van because we want all our money to remain (in Zimbabwe). We are very positive as a board that we will move mountains in as far as Zimbabwe football is concerned, it’s a sleeping giant which needs to be awakened.’’

The ZIFA boss said they will work closely with the legends of the game and said he was happy that Hardlife Zvirekwi had found a way to rise from a horrific injury to play the game again.

He also talked about the challenges he faced ahead of the ZIFA elections, including being questioned by the police.

‘’When you want to become a football president in Africa, you expect to face those kind of things,’’ said Kamambo.

‘’To me that was a blessing in disguise because it turned out to be part of my campaign (strategy).’’

source:the herald

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CAPS United avert player strike

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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
HARARE giants CAPS United insist the situation in their camp is under control following a threat by players to boycott their pre-season training over unpaid dues. CAPS United vice-president Nhamo Tutisani visited the team at their training ground at Mt Pleasant School where he addressed the players after a second day of rising tensions.

The Green Machine players refused to disembark from their team bus, demanding their January dues before taking to their routine drills.

“I cannot say we have reached that stage where we can say the players have downed tools,’’ said Tutisani.

“There is no industrial action. Of course, these guys have raised some issues, which could be quite understandable because of the current economic situation in the country, but we have since resolved everything.

“In fact, it’s something that we have been seized with all along and I am failing grasp the excitement among the players.

“Maybe, the guys wanted to put pressure and try to push things, but there is always a proper way of putting your message across.

“We are doing everything and we visited them at training to address some of the issues. We also have got the right to educate the youngsters that if they have issues, there are always professional channels to follow.’’

NetOne sponsored the club to the tune of $350 000 last season.

The mobile network giants committed themselves to pay salaries of all the players and officials. They also made a provision of signing-on fees for new players under the deal. The company, which also sponsored Highlanders and Dynamos, this week refused to comment on the renewal of the contracts. However, it is understood that negotiations are at an advanced stage with the Green Machine and Highlanders.

The return from suspension of NetOne chief executive Lazarus Muchenje, the catalyst of the sponsorship deals which have also seen the company sponsor Chapungu and Black Rhinos, is seen as a positive move by the clubs. CAPS United are keen to compete for the title this year and have signed a number of players, including the former Highlanders duo of Gabriel Nyoni and Newman Sianchali. Their coach Lloyd Chitembwe also took on board promising youngsters — Clive Rupiya, Blessing Sarupinda and Pride Zivengwa — while pacy winger Phineas Bhamusi and Ronald Chitiyo are also returning this season.

The 2016 champions have managed to retain the core of their squad — Valentine Musarurwa, Joel Ngodzo, Hardlife Zvirekwi, Justice Jangano, John Zhuwawu and Dominic Mukandi.

The side have put in place a board that will run the operations of the club on behalf of the shareholders.

Lawyer Misheck Hogwe, renowned sports administrator Titus Zvomuya, Nick Munyonga, Sylvester Maunganidze, Farai Mafunga and Tich Mawoni, a sports marketing expert who was instrumental in the bringing of the Barcelona Legends to Harare last year, are part of the board.

“We have a board in place, but we are still to have an induction. The board is coming in with a commercial thrust to assist the corporate CEO in terms of goal setting, strategic planning, instituting accounting and marketing policies to find ways to be profitable and make sure that we become a highly professional club,” said Tutisani.

The board is also expected to identify the candidate to fill the position of chief executive that was left vacant following the resignation of Cuthbert Chitima recently.

source:the herald

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Sharuko on Saturday

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IN September 1971, John Lennon dragged the world into fantasyland using the charm of a remarkable song that remains a benchmark for both creativity and positivity in the music industry to execute his mission.

Never before, and never since, has a song of such simplicity provided such ferocity in wooing the world to embark on a journey into a utopia pregnant with everything man has ever desired.

It was such a profoundly powerful song it even transformed itself into some sort of global anthem and cast a light on a world that was still reeling from the horror of the Vietnam War.

Rolling Stone magazine described the song, “Imagine,” as Lennon’s “greatest gift to the world,” after being charmed by lyrics of a journey into an imaginary place, free from the demons which have poisoned our beautiful garden of the living.

A world divorced from the burden of challenges, the tension and rifts created by riches and poverty and the conflicts brought about by religious differences.

The song, the magazine said, provided “an enduring hymn of solace and promise that has carried us through extreme grief, from the shock of Lennon’s own death in 1980 to the unspeakable horror of September 11.”

Forty-eight years later, we can still hear Lennon singing:

Imagine there’s no heaven

It’s easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only the sky

Imagine all the people

Living for today . . . Aha-ah . . .

Imagine there’s no countries

It isn’t hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion, too

Imagine all the people

Living life in peace . . . You . . .

You may say I’m a dreamer

But I’m not the only one

I hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people

Sharing all the world.

The world has certainly come a long way since 1971 — when Lennon released “Imagine,” — which also happened to be the year a boy called Josep Guardiola Sala, was born in humble surroundings in Santpedor, in the Catalonia area of Spain.

And, like Charles Dickens’ character Pip in “Great Expectations, his father’s family name being Guardiola Sala, and his name being Josep, the infant tongues of his street football teammates could make from all his names nothing longer, or more explicit, than Pep.

So, they called him Pep and the world would also call him Pep.

The closest thing to a purist in coaching ever to grace football, with the three clubs he has led in La Liga, Bundesliga and the Premiership all holding the record for most consecutive wins in those leagues.

Lovers of beautiful football, short passes, quick movement, this sport’s version of the ease of doing business, have been wooed by Pep’s magic in their millions.

IMAGINE WORLD FOOTBALL

WITHOUT PEP?

Now, for everything that Pep has done to revolutionise the game, can you just imagine the possibility of a football world without this Spanish genius?

How boring it would be — an island for prophets of attrition and negativity like Jose Mourinho — enemies of the beautiful picture that is painted when this game gets its freedom.

Preachers of darkness, strange believers in the gospel of sucking life out of football and specialists in parking buses as a weird way of a medieval expression of indomitability.

But thank God He also gave us Klopp, we have Zidane, we have Pochettino, we have Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole, and we have Pep, men who are willing to invest all their trust in the values of attacking football and all the joy it brings.

And, as part of my tribute to these merchants of attacking football, whose philosophy brightens up our game, I have penned my cover version of the all-time classic by John Lennon:

Imagine there was no Poch and Pep
It’s easy if you really try
No tiki-taka on the football map
Only boring games that’ll make you cry
Imagine if we only had Mourinho and Moyse
It isn’t really hard to do
Nothing to cheer, no need for a voice
And no places for Silva, Hazard and Pogba
Imagine every ball being pumped to Drogba
Imagine a game that doesn’t value possession
I wonder if just can
No need for any training session
A brotherhood whose artistry is in chain
Imagine fans being treated with such disdain
You may say I’m a dreamer
But l believe I’m really a schemer
I hope someday they’ll join us
And football will be all about that killer pass.

IMAGINE IF JABU MAHLANGU WAS A ZIMBABWEAN?
Before this Jabu from Studio 263 hogged the limelight this week for all the wrong reasons with that horrible sex tape, there was Jabu Pule, as talented a South African footballer as they will ever come.

Then there is Jabu Mahlangu, the man who today is a football pundit on SuperSport, who in his dark past used to be Jabu Pule, a rebellious freak of nature who was a slave to both alcohol and drugs.

That carefree young man was also a talented footballer, whom some in South Africa believe was the finest of his generation, and made the first team of Kaizer Chiefs at a very young age.

But his addiction to alcohol and drugs derailed his progress into the super stardom, which his talent promised, and one website described him as “the ultimate tale of talent squandered and opportunities lost”.

His sheer talent meant that Chiefs were able to forgive him, a number of times, but in 2004, when he was just 24 and easing into the peak of his career, the Amakhosi decided they couldn’t take his indiscipline anymore.

And a painful divorce was sealed.

He went to Austria, where he signed for SV Mattersburg, but was off-loaded after just eight months after crashing his car while driving under the influence of alcohol.

Still, his talent meant he was never short of suitors and SuperSport signed him on his return home and twice they sent him to a rehabilitation clinic to try and help him overcome his challenges.

But, after he missed a series of training sessions, they offloaded him in 2005.

In just over a year, he had been sacked by three clubs.

Orlando Pirates and a Swedish club Osters took chances on him, but it was not long become it became clear Pule had descended into a broken soul.

He adopted his father’s surname after having used his mother’s family name all along.

South Africa could have easily turned its back on Jabu Pule and no one would have blamed the Rainbow Nation for that given it had, repeatedly, forgiven its wayward son, gave him another chance, hoping he would see the error of his ways.

But, to their eternal credit, the South Africans refused to choose that path, which would have cast him to rot in hell, and they put him through a rehabilitation exercise that eventually cleared the way for a contract as a football pundit on SuperSport.

Jabu’s remarkable tale of redemption has always made me imagine if all this would have been possible if he had been born this side of the Limpopo — an unforgiving community where people like him are mocked into their graves.

Cast away from society and disowned by their game, their communities and their friends.

Lampooned for having made mistakes in their lives, mocked for having wasted the little fortune they made, rejected for being human — which means there was always a possibility they would err — hammered daily on Facebook and Twitter by faceless characters.

Reminded, at every turn, of their shortcomings, denied help, dismissed as hopeless, useless, helpless, despised by their people, condemned by many analysts, discarded by many friends and scoffed upon by those who used to worship them during their days as stars.

That’s exactly what we did to Zvenyika Makonese, accusing him of wasting his fortune in South Africa’s nightclubs rather than giving him a second chance to redeem himself in life and providing him with the same support offered to Jabu.

And that’s exactly what we did to Francis Shonhayi, a former captain of Dynamos and, more importantly, skipper of the Warriors, leaving him to die penniless, hopeless and helpless in Cape Town.

Rejected by us, the ones he called his people, the ones he served with distinction during his days as leader of our Warriors, the very people for whom he risked life and limb for their cause.

IMAGINE WE ARE ALREADY REJECTING TINASHE
It has taken Delta Beverages to tap into the vast knowledge that Tinashe Nengomasha brought home from his lengthy stay in South Africa, by making him a Castle ambassador, while none of our big clubs seem interested in using him help transform their brands.

We did the same when Philip Zulu, who had harvested a lot of knowledge working in the junior development systems of English clubs, came home to try and help us take our football to another level.

We treated him as an outcast, viewed him with suspicion, never embraced him as one of us, even though he is just a guy from Mbare, and some where even jealousy of him, fearful he would take their jobs instead of opening themselves to him to become better in whatever they do.

Frustrated, having hit a number of obstacles, Philip packed his bags and, after sharing his knowledge with the receptive South Africans, flew back to England.

We mock Moses Chunga, saying he isn’t fluent in English, as if it’s a right for everyone to do that, while the South Africans find a way to accommodate Mark Williams, as a pundit on SuperSport, even though he has a voice which makes it difficult to hear anything he says.

For the South Africans, Mark Williams should always be accommodated, somewhere, somehow, because his goals in that AFCON final in 1996, made him their hero and not even his voice can provide a barrier.

Today, we watch Dwight Yorke as a pundit on SuperSport during Champions League matches and we idolise him, willing to forget he was recently a subject of a bankruptcy petition after squandering his fortune.

And that he used to be such a sickening playboy. He even boasted in his book about how he used to make love to different women in the back of the taxis and, on certain wild nights, would sleep with as many as five women.

Imagine if he was one of us.

Would we give him another chance, forget the past and provide a path for him to find redemption?

Imagine if Caster Semenya was one of us, would we rally, as one united nation, the way the South Africans are doing, behind her as she battles a bid to push her out of athletics?

The most successful African Olympian is Zimbabwean, but just go on Twitter, and Facebook, and see the shocking abuse that Kirsty Coventry takes simply because she decided to serve her country in Government.

source:the herald

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City won’t bulldoze Chelsea

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Manchester City must forget their 6-0 drubbing of Chelsea earlier this month and cannot afford to be complacent against the London side when they face off in tomorrow’s League Cup football final, midfielder Bernardo Silva has said.

Chelsea’s capitulation at the Etihad Stadium was their worst defeat in English Premier League history and the London club have dropped to sixth in the standings.

Silva, however, said the recent result would not have a bearing on their next meeting at Wembley.

“To be honest we should forget that match because it won’t happen again, we are not expecting the same result,” Silva told reporters after City’s 3-2 victory at Schalke in the first leg of the Champions League last-16.

“We are playing against one of the best sides in the world, even though lately their results are not the best for them.

“Against those kinds of players you can never relax, and if you give them time to think, time to play and time to decide they will destroy you.”

City are the League Cup holders

source:the herald

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Barca, Real battle fatigue

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Real Madrid and Barcelona face two Clasicos in four days next week but the Spanish La Liga’s greatest football rivals are not so much revving up for the double-header, but crawling reluctantly towards it.

This weekend, Barca travel to fourth-placed Sevilla today and Madrid to Levante tomorrow, when priorities, rest and rotation will all be high on the agenda again.

Santiago Solari pointed to exhaustion following his team’s latest loss at home to Girona, four days after they came from behind to beat Ajax, eight after defeating Atletico Madrid and 11 after holding Barca to a draw at the Camp Nou.

“The fatigue is not only physical, it is mental, it affects our concentration,” Solari said.

“Obviously we have come from an important period, with a lot of hard games. We have to overcome it because it might be that our energy levels dipped in the second half.”

Girona were outplayed in the first period but scored twice in the second, both goals coming in the final 25 minutes, to end what had begun to look like

source:the herald

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Arsenal, Chelsea pull through

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Arsenal and Chelsea reached the last 16 of the Europa League football on Thursday night after the Gunners comfortably saw off BATE Borisov 3-0 and Maurizio Sarri’s troubled side relieved some of the pressure on him with the same scoreline against mediocre Malmo.

Arsenal will now play Rennes in the last 16 of the Europa League while Chelsea will face Dynamo Kiev.

After falling 1-0 in Belarus, Arsenal were level on aggregate after just three minutes when Zakhar Volkov sliced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s low cross past Denis Scherbitski in his own goal.

Unai Emery’s side deservedly went through thanks to two thumping headers from Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis either side of the break.

“We wanted this result but also we wanted to play for our supporters here. We did our best to come back (in the tie) and the team worked very well,” Emery told BT Sport.

Ahead 2-1 from the first leg in Sweden, Chelsea had to wait until 10 minutes after the break for the first sign of excitement, Olivier Giroud tapping in the decisive goal of a humdrum encounter at Stamford Bridge.

Ross Barkley made sure of the win with a super free-kick in the 74th minute, just after Malmo’s Rasmus Bengtsson was sent off for his second bookable offence, before 18-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi made the most of a rare start by crashing home the third.

Europa League round of 16 draw

Chelsea v Dynamo Kiev

Eintracht Frankfurt v Inter Milan

Dinamo Zagreb v Benfica

Napoli v Salzburg

Valencia v Krasnodar

Sevilla v Slavia Prague

Arsenal v Rennes

Zenit St Petersburg v Villarreal

First legs will be played on March 7, second legs on March 14

source:the herald

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Man U seek to derail Reds title hopes

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Liverpool travel to Manchester United tomorrow facing the toughest assignment of their English Premier League football run-in on paper as Tottenham seek to sneak back into the heart of the title race. The trip to Old Trafford is effectively Jurgen Klopp’s team’s game in hand as they bid to open up a three-point lead over Manchester City, who play Chelsea in the League Cup final on the same day.

Liverpool thumped United 3-1 at Anfield in the last match of Jose Mourinho’s reign in December but they are transformed under interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and are back in the top four.

If Spurs beat Burnley and Liverpool slip up, Mauricio Pochettino’s men will be just two points behind City and Liverpool, with all three clubs having played 27 matches.

Liverpool know that a win at Old Trafford – where they have won just twice in the league since 2004 – would be a huge statement of intent as they hunt their first English top-flight title since 1990.

Klopp’s men are 14 points clear of United but they will be facing a different team from the one they demolished in December, courtesy of a goal from Sadio Mane and two from Xherdan Shaqiri.

“Since the new manager came in there is a new flow, they played good games and have won a lot and that is building confidence in the team,” said Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum.

“It’s also a home game for them so they will have a lot of confidence as they don’t have the problems they had before.”

Solskjaer has lifted his side into the Champions League places and knows any chance he has of becoming the next permanent manager probably hinges on staying there.

But defender Luke Shaw says the interim boss, known for his sunny demeanour, is capable of showing some steel.

“You know, Ole does it at the right time (shows another side),” Shaw told MUTV. “He knows how good we can be and, if we’re not up to his standards or the standards of Manchester United, he will certainly let you know.

“We’ve had a few moments like that where we might have been comfortable in a game but got a bit sloppy. He’s the manager and he tells the players what he wants. It’s good and what we need sometimes, a kick up the backside from the manager, if we’re getting too comfortable.”

Roy Hodgson will become the oldest manager in Premier League history when Crystal Palace take on Leicester.

English Premiership Fixtures

Today: Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur (2:30pm); Newcastle United v Huddersfield Town (5pm); AFC Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers (5pm); Leicester City v Crystal Palace (7:30pm).

Tomorrow: Chelsea v Brighton & Hove Albion (2pm); Arsenal v Southampton (4:05pm); Manchester United v Liverpool (4:05pm).

Spanish La Liga Fixtures

Today: Getafe v Rayo Vallecano

source:the herald

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ZINA threaten players

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Sikhumbuzo Moyo in Bulawayo
THE sponsor-less Zimbabwe Netball Association have resumed their embarrassing fight with the heavily-funded Rainbow Amateur Netball League by writing threatening letters to principals of teams who are participating in the league.

ZINA are even prepared to sabotage the country’s maiden World Cup appearance this year to settle their differences with the league.

RANL enjoy a $250 000 sponsorship from Glow Petroleum, while ZINA — whose leadership have failed to even get an office despite that being a requirement in terms of good corporate governance tenets — have no corporate backing.

Last year, RANL, in its inaugural year, enjoyed a successful season that culminated in end-of-year awards at a top hotel in Harare where various prizes, as much as $20 000, were given to deserving teams.

Despite the Sports Commission writing to both parties to find common ground for the good of the game and the girl child, ZINA have persistently refused to play ball.

This week, their secretary-general Babra Rice, dispatched letters to various principals of RANL clubs threatening players who take part in RANL-organised leagues and saying they won’t be eligible for selection into the national team.

Zimbabwe qualified for their maiden Netball World Cup finals set for Liverpool, England, in four months time.

“The Zimbabwe Netball Association once again writes to advise and appeal to you that the Rainbow Amateur Netball League is unsanctioned and unregistered by ZINA, Sports and Recreation Commission and Ministry of Sports,” reads one of the letters written by Rice to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services.

”ZINA, therefore, requests you not to participate in any activities initiated by this league.

“Players from this league are not eligible to participate in any national team duties. ZINA is extending its invitation to your club for the 2019 league and activities.

”Please be advised that it’s in the interest of the sport to comply,” wrote Rice. However, some players who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said they will not allow emotional blackmail and the impending Liverpool trip to blur them from the bigger picture.

“England is not heaven, if they think we will be enticed by a mere ticket to another part of the world then they are mistaken, for long we have been part of ZINA yet getting nothing out of our sweat,” one player said.

”And now that we are, at least, getting a few cents someone wants to throw spanners, that will and shall never happen.” Others appealed to the Sports Commission director general Prince Mupazviriho to help brjng sanity to the impasse.

source:the herald

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Jari’s journey to World Champs

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Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
FOR the past two editions of the World Championships, long-distance runner Munyaradzi Jari thought he had made the cut for the global showcase, only for him to realise that was not the case. The races he featured in were not among those certified by the IAAF for qualification.

And he made the mistake twice which saw him missing the 2015 and 2017 editions of the global competition.

He did not give up and Jari’s dream finally came true last September when he clocked 2 hours 14 minutes 2 seconds at the Cape Town marathon in South Africa to book his place at this year’s IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

The qualifying time for men has been set at 2hours 16minutes for this year.

“I didn’t lose hope and I would like to thank Mr (Tendai) Tagara, the NAAZ president,” he said.

”He is the one who came and spoke to me and I understood that it happens that sometimes you think you have qualified only to realise the race was not up to the IAAF standard.

“Last year, I even spoke to the other guys to say if I fail to qualify, I will hang up my shoes in marathon and go back to ultra-marathon.

”I didn’t realise that my time had come.”

The seasoned long distance runner is set to be one of the country’s representatives at the forthcoming World Championships.

Participating countries can only field three athletes to make a full marathon team in each category – men and women.

“It will be my first time at the biggest event like World Championships…My aim at the moment is to be in the top 20.

”But, if God allows it, I will be happy to be in top 10,” said Jari.

In May, he is also eyeing qualification for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Tagara said Jari’s commitment and hard work was now paying dividends.

“I always told him to be committed in training and to always work hard,” said Tagara.

”I told him success comes through going an extra mile, working hard beyond what the normal system dies.

”That extra edge creates champions. I got that from my own coach Bernard Dzoma, who was a former national 5000m coach, he still there in Mutare.”

source:the herald

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Reds thriving under pressure

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said his side’s 5-0 demolition of Watford on Wednesday night showed how much they are thriving under the pressure of leading the English Premier League football championship race.

Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk both scored twice and Divock Origi grabbed the other as Liverpool stayed one point clear of Manchester City, who edged past West Ham 1-0.

Three draws in four Premier League matches had raised concerns over Liverpool’s ability to fend off Pep Guardiola’s charging City as they chase their first top-flight title since 1990.

“It was just . . . the boys showed how much they enjoy the game and the situation,” Klopp told the BBC.

“It was an important sign. You know what was written and said about us. It is of course not right. These boys are outstanding and today they showed so much passion.

“The game from Mo (Salah) was incredible. Sadio (Mane) scored a brilliant goal. All three midfielders were outstanding. Both centre-halves played outstanding.

“We won 5-0 so you don’t talk about them but they had their moments. Even (goalkeeper) Alisson was great. The boys who came on controlled the game. A lot to talk about.”

Klopp also singled out Trent Alexander-Arnold for praise after he provided three assists.

“It is just a really good night for us and the boys deserve all the credit,” he said.

City finally broke the resistance of West Ham at the Etihad Stadium in the second half to stay just one point behind Liverpool, while third-placed Tottenham slipped to a damaging 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.

Arsenal swatted aside a limp Bournemouth team 5-1 to remain in fourth place, one point clear of Manchester United, with Romelu Lukaku taking advantage of the absence of Marcus Rashford to score twice in a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.

Liverpool came into their match after three draws in four league matches but Mane settled their nerves, heading home a cross from Trent Alexander-Arnold before the pair teamed up again, with the Senegalese forward producing an audacious backheel strike

source:the herald

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Chevrons all-star World Cup XI

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Liam Brickhill in CAPE TOWN
ALL the world is not going to be at Cricket World Cup 2019 this year, but here’s my all-time Zimbabwe World Cup X — Neil Johnson, Brendan Taylor, Andy Flower, David Houghton, Tatenda Taibu, Sean Williams, Paul Strang, Duncan Fletcher (captain), Heath Streak, Ray Price, Henry Olonga.

My criteria for selection comes entirely from past World Cup statistics.

Johnson’s average of 52 w/bat and 19 w/ball makes him first name on the list and opener.

Taylor (690 runs at 46) opens with him as he has experience in the position.

Flower, scorer of Zimbabwe’s first World Cup hundred is at three.

Houghton, scorer of the biggest and best of Zimbabwe’s World Cup 100s (146 v NZ in 1986) is at number four.

Taibu, three stumpings and seven catches from half as many games as Flower/Houghton keeps wicket.

Williams with a World Cup batting average of 54.66 is at six.

Handy with the bat and with 15 World Cup wickets at 25.86, Strang is at seven.

Fletcher, the Aussie slayer and possibly Zimbabwe’s best ever leader, captains the side, while Streak, Zimbabwe’s leading World Cup wicket-taker opens the bowling.

Price, another potential opening bowler, only went to one World Cup but took his nine wickets at 18.77 there, while also giving away runs at just 3.44 (record economy for Zimbabwe at World Cups).

Finally, success at World Cups needs a bit of magic and the X-Factor and so Olonga is at 11 to win unwinnable games for Zimbabwe.

The top six all capable of scoring hundreds, four seamers, three spinners.

Recommendations for 12th man will be most welcome.

The Chevrons will miss the World Cup for the first time since Independence in 1980 having impressed at their first tournament in England, who will again host this year’s showcase.

What do you think about Liam’s Zimbabwe World Cup XI? Do you agree with him or you have other players you believe can be added to the team? Do you have your possible World Cup XI for the Chevrons? You can email us at — theherald@zimpapers.co.zw , tweet us @HeraldZimbabwe, interact with us on Facebook handle TheHerald-Zimbabwe or use this number for text or Whatsapp – +263714111101

source:the herald

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Muhoni blames Luke Masomere for his woes

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Cloud Fusire Sports Reporter
LAZARUS MUHONI, one of the executive members suspended by Manica Diamonds in the wake of the explosion of a corruption scandal at the club, has blamed coach Luke Masomere for his woes.

The former Warriors star and fellow committee member, Lloyd Chinawa, were suspended on Wednesday for allegedly receiving kickbacks from players who had moved to the club.

Yesterday, Muhoni gave his side of the story.

“I felt that it’s high time I should say my side of the story since this issue is already in the media circles,’’ he said.

“Luke Masomere hates me, he told me that he wished me and Lloyd Chinawa dead. He is plotting to remove us from our positions, together with the chairman Masimba Chihowa.

“The two are very corrupt.

“He told me that we took his job of recruiting players but we were appointed to select the players by the club and the negotiating team has all the executives, include Chihowa.

“The coach is hurting that he is no longer signing players and he is known everywhere, even at How Mine, he was sacked because he was forcing players to pay over $3000 (as kickbacks).

“They want us fired because we are blocking them from being corrupt.’’

He said the money he received from the players were what they owed him and were a token of appreciation for his decision to accommodate them at his house.

“I stayed with four of the players for six months at my house after the team said they were not able to accommodate them,’’ he said.

“The players included Tendai Mukono, Tafadzwa Phiri and Gilbert Timothy.

“I stayed with them, providing them with food, clothes and sportswear and I bought them shooters that were costing $250 and the other $150 using my own money.

“After they got signed, Mukono and Phiri gave me $100 each and they sent it into my wife’s EcoCash account.

“I spent more than $7 000 on them when I was staying with them, so they can never be able to repay that money.

“Players are not happy because Masomere is threatening to expel them from the club and he intimidated all the players.’’

No comment could be obtained from Masomere yesterday.

source:the herald

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