The proverbial sore thumb of referees deciding who wins matches and ultimately league titles, didn’t wait for the engine to heat, and balance oil levels in the head, when, again, their performances bad, like the appointment of the committee that fronts them, did their thing in the opening week of the Castle Lager premier Soccer league, The Page reports.
While Israel Nhevera, who handled the first match pitting Scottland and Triangle wasn’t exactly train smash, his performance, during which he left many crucial calls uncalled, not the least when Walter Musona hit his opponent in the face, an unnegotiated send off offence in the rulebook, his appointment to handle such a high stake match, was entirely the faulty of Faith Mloyi’s committee, or was it the proxy authority in the Zifa Exco.
But perhaps the biggest referees performance was also at Rufaro when Herentals beat TelOne 2-1.
And Tichaona Tigere, ancestral relation of Zifa referees manager, Joshua Tigere, was the man in the middle for that encounter.
The Page can reveal that Tichaona Tigere’s match performance has also become the first match in which the referee is being investigated for a conduct inconsistent with the code.
Tichaona Tigere’s match performance raised a lot of eyebrows.
He struggled with the pace of the game and often was off positioned, failing to make calls, allowing dangerous tackles and ignoring obvious calls.
That was not all – he even added glorious Catholic catechism time, obviously bought from tuchshops nearby.
Off course we know the Pope Francis is battling respiratory episodes and is on overnight ventilator at Vatican, but…
Worse, his account of the match, in a report he wrote, profiled a match so different from match commissioners’ (Ruzive Ruzive) report.
The anomaly triggered an investigation, which effectively means Tigere will not handle another match until otherwise advised.
This is happening in only the first match of the season.
At Wadzanayi stadium where a blockbuster between Simba Bhora and FC Platinum was again spoiled by referees performance where Lawrence Zimondi, struggled with his lines and calls endlessly.
He could not even correlate with first assistant, Pearson Zvokuonera, whose three flags he ignored, a situation that robbed FC Platinum opportunities for attempted goal(s).
Ironically, Tendai Bwanya, the secretary of the scandalous Norman Matemera referees committee, of the immediate past, was the commissioner.
How on earth do the Mloyi referees committee, even think of including a man from such a background to be the gatekeeper for such a much.
Surely, this Zifa Exco are playing with a bad petrol fire. Where integrity of matches is at stake, anyone with links to the past referees committee, must be very far away from crime scene.
That committee is so dirty in every respect. That is why this Mloyi led committee, must all be removed and a new committee chosen.
Even if it means going to the graves to exhume those buried there, it is better than, toying with the Mloyi committee.
But then the Exco can be arrogant and continue in this fast track to a choreographed fatal end, a situation that will embarrass everyone, the country included.
At the Arena in Chisumbanje, Quedisani Dirwai was slow, unsure and unfit of action so much that he missed some calls.
Although his performance didn’t ultimately decide the match, he surely could do better, perhaps he was overawed by Greenfuels playing Green Machine in the talk green grass.
At least the match commissioner’s (Robert Mugorosa) report calmed the nerves and spared the blushes for the committee.
Patrick Kalota struggled at the poor Baobab stadium that looked in very bad shape for a venue that is otherwise well looked after for years.
The referee was clearly tired or lazy or both to an extend he missed two crucial calls from which Highlanders could have scored against new boys MWOS.
The match commissioner, Nelson Kusosa was spot on in his assessment – fair, firm and thorough.
Ronald Chinyani, who handled the Manica Diamonds v Yadah match was good, firm and fair, so much that even commissioner, Kenny Marange had an easy job.
These are performances the clubs are crying for and one wonders why the Zifa Exco sticks with a committee that the stakeholders are saying is the wrong barber for the haircut.
Why is Zifa Exco sticking with what people are saying they don’t want? Worse a team that worked badly and corruptly under the NC?
If Zifa president Nqobile Magwizi, whose conduct and demeanour has already endeared him to the public in just 35 days, wants a safe ride, he must disband this referees committee and reasign Kenny Ndebele, who has worked with all these referees for many years as PSL chief, from the portfolio.
The history of Ndebele with referees is an open docket. Remove the man from this conflict portfolio, disband the referees committee, appoint a fresh one and stop exposing referees to further political abuse by cartels in the regions.
Lloyd Mapanje had a brilliant game at a poor Rufaro stadium handling Marriott FC and ZPC Kariba, making Brighton Mudzamiri’s job as commissioner easy and charge office safe.
But eish, that venue, opened to public for the first time in 1972, now looks a joke that one wonders how those charged with managing it felt.
Pakaipa!
What looked apparent after first round of matches is that referees needs help and support, but not from this committee, which must be disbanded to save the game from further ridicule.
This is failing because it has the wrong pegs. Mloyi and crew, may not walk alone, but they should, unless there are other inducements that keep them on.
The tree will not sway without a hint of wind.
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