Now Daily 263

Monday, May 11, 2015

Zimbabwe’s Future Football Philosophy and Style

Zim footballSince independence Zimbabwe football have evolved from foreign coach to foreign coach with little success in Afcon. Our football became of age in the late 90s when Reinhard Fabisch was appointed as Head Coach of the Dream Team. The Warriors were successfull in the World Cup group stages only to be denied by Egypt at the last hurdle. By then that was our philosophy build on strong defence, patience and good attacking prowess. Amongst our local coaches no one managed to learn and shadow Fabisch who at that time was like our Mourinho as Zimbabwe played good fluid passing football which was a joy to watch. Please click here to Donate and support Zimbabwe Football Develop Academy Currently we don’t seem to have our own style and we have borrowed from abroad without deciding our own football identity. Midlands outfit Chapungu FC under Lovemore Nyabeza had the renowned Waka-Waka style, which was played one or two passes in their half before lumping it forward to the strikers. At one point Ashton “Papa” Nyazika is claimed to have said, “I just tell Stix, Joe and Stan to pass to Shackie and we will win.” This was during his coaching era at Caps United before he moved to Black Rhinos. We at Zimbabwe Football Development Academy have identified our own football brand and identity called “iTouch” which was adopted from the Spanish Tiki Taka mixed with German efficiency football played by Fabisch with the Warriors. When you think of football styles or philosophies as most football coaches are prone to say, a number of formations cross the mind. They range from the “Samba” of Brazil popularly known as the “Beautiful Game”, . This style’s emphasis was on individual skills and attacking flair. The legendary Brazil team which captured the hearts and minds of football fans at the 1982 world cup tournament in Spain, with Zico, Socrates and Careca all producing astronomical individual performances. When we look at the German style with its emphasis on a well choreographed technical team which is efficient in achieving results in all conditions as a team. The German philosophy is patience, passion and efficiency. A lot has been talked about the “Tiki-Taka”; this is the buzz-word in football world these days. This style emphasises on more possession and insists on winning matches by denying the opposition of the space and ball possession. Its like running a country with no Water or Electricity. The emergence and success of Spain and Barcelona in the recent years has led to modern teams attempting to adapt this style. The Italian style, the “Catennacio” well known as the door bolt, places strong emphasis on defence and denying the opposition opportunities. This will probably describe Atletico Madrid or Chelsea who are difficult to breakdown and penetrate. As highlighted by Wikipedia(2015) this style is premised on the idea that if the opponents cannot score a goal, they cannot win. This system was developed by Karl Rappan, an Australian coach but made more popular by Argentinian coach Helenio Herrera who used it successfully with Inter in the 60s. Italian teams have adopted it and it became the Italian national team philosophy but of late modern thinkers regard it as outdated; no team uses the extra defender any more known as the libero or sweeper. “Total Football” is another philosophy which many teams, especially the Dutch, have invented. Innovated by Rinis Michels the Dutch coach, it had in Johan Cruyf one its strongest adherents who had this to say about the system, “Attackers can play as defenders and defenders as attackers, everyone can play everywhere. Rotation of positions is the key to this philosophy and it served as the template for the development of “Tiki-Taka”. In Africa, South Africa had their “Shoe-Shine Piano”, a system described as township soccer whose template is short sequential passes with individual player intelligence. It was mainly used by former national team coach Tshabalala. All these playing styles were met with varying degrees of success and, needless to say, Zimbabwe has jumped from one unknown style to another thereby confusing the players and gifting the opponents. Having noticed this deficiency our academy took the responsibility of identifying and developing a vision and philosophy which will be of national interest as it impacts on all young players development. To achieve this, our Galaxy coaches identify the strengths of the players which if properly harnessed can lead to the development of a unique football identity for the nation. It is also paramount to have the football association adopting and supporting the vision and philosophy of iTouch football. We’ve basics right We currently only have the basic football which is not enough to compete at national level ie. kicking, heading and shooting without good control and passing. Defenders can also learn to control and pass the ball. This is acquired by years of playing on the streets or bumpy pitches. All over the country, young boys can be observed expressing their skills on the dusty streets or football pitches. This means that their dribbling and ball control develops from an early age under difficult conditions. It should therefore follow that coaches have players whose ball control and passing is nous. To succeed at the top, ball control is paramount. While I appreciate this praise, let me say that this is nothing new for any Zimbabwean football fan. Masters of the ball control who come to mind are Stix Mtizwa, Moses Chunga, Willard Khumalo, Ronald Sibanda and Archford Chimutanda. Ball control allows a player more time during possession to make a decisive pass and Zimbabwe is blessed in this area and hence our football philosophy should incorporate this attributes in football education. Zimbabwe has always produced top defenders, the likes of Enerst Mutano, Francis Shonhayi, Misheck Marimo and Ephraim Chawanda. The added bonus of Zimbabwe football is that it has produced attacking wing backs, players like Oliver Kateya, Mercedes Sibanda, and Garnet Muchongwe. It can be argued that for Zimbabwe it is possible to play from the back with the use of wingbacks, a concept which is not new considering that we have always had overlapping defenders. The argument therefore is not about reinventing the wheel, but simply identifying the strength and harnessing them to develop a football style for the nation. Zimbabwe has never had a shortage of midfielders; this is one of the strongest areas of the modern game. Great midfielders have graced the national game, the likes of Memory Mucherahowa, Stix Mtizwa, George Shaya, Willard Khumalo just to mention a few. These players had all the attributes – ball control, vision and passing ability. The nation has always produced midfield magicians and geniuses and hence creativity should not be a problem in any system suitable. In addition, the country has always produced wingers who could create goals through dribbling, pace and crossing ability. I ‘m reminded of players like Stanley Ndunduma, Edward Katsvere, Madinda Ndlovu, Moses Chunga and Peter Ndlovu, just to mention a few. These players had an assortment of skills which reflect a common trend, pace and dribbling skills. Masters of the dribble include Vitalis Takavira and Boy Ndlovu, and the system must take cognisance of these strengths in the national game. As we analyse about football style we have to accept that the game is about scoring goals and in this department Zimbabwe has a history of producing top strikers. The likes of Shacky Tauro, Gift Mpariwa, Peter Ndlovu and Agent Sawu come to mind. The football philosophy should incorporate this trend in the national game and remind the current players of their responsibility and national ability. As we reflect on our football history we examine past teams e.g. Zimbabwe Saints perfected the pass and move style, almost like Tiki Taka; Highlanders have always played at a high tempo with width, trickery and pace while Dynamos are renowned for their passing and attacking prowess and the same can be said of Caps United. From these examples one can identify a pattern, close ball control, pace, trickery, width and attack and hence a national philosophy should capture these attributes. Junior football development is key to our nation, academy and beyond as we are the beacon of hope for children in Zimbabwe To develop a football style, it is important to involve teachers in junior football development. Teachers who spend the early years with the young players must be empowered with coaching skills up to, at least, a level two certificate. This will encourage a more robust and holistic approach to coaching at schools level as they catch them young. I witnessed players only being taught to launch a long ball in the opponent half hoping for a miracle to happen. This is negative football education from an early age and this must be eradicated. We need more parents,teachers and coaches employed and trained, and the national philosophy will begin to take shape which will be a success at national level. The Germans are on record with their success at the World Cup after adopting the youth system. A grassroots youth league must be implemented to give exposure to young players with tournaments. It is a good thing that coaches now have to be qualified to work in the Premier League, and must follow a given national curriculum. Some academies are there but they do not have a sense of purpose However they should be monitored at national level and follow a set football curriculum. Our academy must be treated as a school, their curriculum should be monitored and adopted. This allows the development of the type of player and playing style that Zimbabwe needs. If Zimbabwe appoints former Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa as national coach, this will be a brave as a local coach he knows the strengths of the national game and will develop a style to suit our players. In Zimbabwe’s short history, we have been through coaches from all over the world.. We have a corktail of Polish, Ghananian, German, Dutch , British, Brazilian coaches and, further confusion to that, local coaches and one can begin to envisage the lack of clarity on style. It is our hope at Zimbabwe Football Development Academy of developing our own football philosophy ; i will be a proud when one day we can pronounce of a Zimbabwe style just as we speak of the much exported “Tiki-Taka” or “Samba soccer”. Ideas can be borrowed and football is a universal language but the end product should be our own iTouch football. By Lord Morris Kakunguwo

Friday, May 8, 2015

'Porn ruined my life'

When her teenage son asked her "Mom, is it really you in the sex video?" a Limpopo woman knew her life was ruined.

The 13-year-old Grade 5 pupil had just seen his mother in Ninja1, one of the pornographic films produced by Thohoyandou porn mogul Zwoluga Madega.
"I did not know what to say, but it is me in the video," she said.
Shot in a vacant game lodge 88km north of Thohoyandou, Ninja1 has become a source of shame for the 34-year-old pregnant mother of two from Maniini village.
She claims she was coerced at gunpoint into taking part in the film.
Madega, owner of Hanzam's TV Movies, has denied the claim.
He recently angered local traditional leaders and members of a "moral regeneration" movement, Munna Ndinnyi, when news of his intention to shoot his latest porn flick, Bush Pie#3, with actors in traditional Venda costume, made headlines.
Thembi (not her real name) described Madega, 34, as an unscrupulous man who coerced and threatened vulnerable women into having sex on tape.
Thembi told The Times that she had just lost her job at a local supermarket two years ago when a friend told her about a movie-maker offering R9000 for someone to act in his "horror movie".
Thembi said Madega drove her and the friend to a lodge but she was "confused" when she found naked men and women in one of the rondavels.
She claimed Madega threatened her with a gun and she had no choice but to have sex on camera with a "sweaty" actor who did not use a condom, fearing for her life.
"I was screaming and pushing the man off me but this angered Madega. He refused to give me money afterwards, saying I did not work," she said.
She said she left the following morning "feeling dirty".
A week later her son confronted her about the video and her life changed forever.
"I did not receive a cent for that. He chases me away whenever I demand my payment.
"I hate that man. I gained a reputation as a shameful woman while he made money out of my shame," she said.
Madega said Thembi acted willingly in his porn film and was tarnishing his reputation in order to salvage hers.
Madega, who has four porn movies including Banana#3 and Bush Pie#2 under his belt, dismissed criticism of his work as unwarranted, asking why it could be "done in Soweto but not in Thohoyandou".
Police spokesman Major Mashudu Malelo said the police had heard "rumours" about women in the area being coerced into participating in the manufacture of pornography but said nothing could be done until a complaint was made to the police

Buzz with the booze

"Caffeine counters the depressant effects of alcohol, increasing alertness and leading to a longer timeframe of drinking," according to the researchers' report. File photo Image by: AFP Relaxnews ©Oleksiy Mark/Shutterstock.com

New research shows that US teenagers who drink even one energy drink a week are more likely to binge on alcohol.
Binge drinking is defined as consuming six or more drinks in a single sitting.
The Journal of Paediatrics published a recent study that showed that US teenagers who consumed energy drinks were more likely to start experimenting with alcohol from as young as 12.
Researchers at the University of Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Centre said energy drinks, specifically those containing caffeine, could lessen teenagers' awareness of their drunkenness.
"Caffeine counters the depressant effects of alcohol, increasing alertness and leading to a longer timeframe of drinking," according to the researchers' report.
"These findings are concerning," said Dartmouth researcher and doctor Jennifer Emond.
"Given that underage drinking is a sensitive issue, it's possible that clinicians, parents, and teachers might open dialogues about alcohol use by starting the discussion on the topic of energy drinks."
Researchers cited older findings that energy-drink consumption by teenagers was an indicator of whether they had used cigarettes, dagga or amphetamines in the past 30 days.
Energy drinks are very popular with younger South Africans.
A study by Analytix in 2012 found that 6million South Africans had drunk at least one energy drink in the week before the survey.
It also found that more than 70% of this country's energy-drink consumers were between 15 and 39 years old.

Burnt alive in Burundi

PIT OF TORMENT: The army saved a man who hid in a drain after escaping a lynch mob in the Burundi capital, Bujumbura, yesterday. At least three people were killed in clashes in fresh protests against the president's bid for a third term in office
Image by: AYMERIC VINCENOT/AFP

Protesters burned a man alive in Burundi's capital yesterday, saying he was a member of the ruling party's youth wing, which had attacked them during their demonstrations against the president's bid for a third term, a witness said.

Protesters have been on Bujumbura's streets for almost two weeks, often hurling stones at the police, whom they say have fired live rounds at them. The police deny this.
Opponents of the government say the June 26 presidential election should be delayed by a few weeks because of the unrest.
President Pierre Nkurunziza's spokesman said a delay was unnecessary because most of the country was calm.
The violence has plunged the nation into its worst crisis since the end of a civil war in 2005 that pitted the ethnic Hutu majority against the powerful Tutsi minority.
"They put tyres around his neck and then burnt him," a witness said in the Nyakabiga district of Bujumbura.
Local media also reported the incident and the Red Cross said a man was killed in Nyakabiga but, in line with its usual practice, did not say how he died. It said a woman was killed in another area yesterday.
Protesters said the victim of the burning was a member of the Imbonerakure youth wing of the ruling CNDD-FDD party, which they say has attacked them. The government has repeatedly dismissed charges that Imbonerakure is fomenting violence.
Condemning the killing, presidential spokesman Gervais Abayeho said: "We don't want the situation to degenerate and take us back to those years when people were killed on the streets in broad daylight."
Activists say at least 14 people have been killed since the protests erupted. Police give lower figures.
Several opposition figures say the vote should be delayed, provided that the parliamentary and presidential elections now scheduled for May and June are held before Nkurunziza's current term expires on August 26.
"It is needed," said presidential hopeful Agathon Rwasa, who, like Nkurunziza, once led a Hutu rebel group. "There is no security."
The country's constitution and peace agreement limit a president to two five-year terms.
A constitutional court ruled on Tuesday Nkurunziza's first term began when he was elected by lawmakers, not when he won a general election.
Nkurunziza called the protests an "insurrection".

phot journalism

samsung to set up TV plant in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean Runs For Council In UK Elections

Chigwangwa will run on a Labour ticket in the Panshanger Ward for the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council. While Chigwangwa seems up-beat about his chances the seat is seen as a conservative stronghold and he did well to come third in elections on 22 May 2014, losing to Roger Trigger with UKIP’s Laura Katherine Daley coming second. According to his profile on Zimbabwe Achiever’s Awards website, Mugwangwa started off his career in Public Sector in Zimbabwe specializing in Local Government Finance and supporting implementation of the Civil Service Reforms to focus on mission statements and results oriented service delivery ethos.
They add: Joshua Chigwangwa is the founder member of Karumazondo Africa International Ltd (KAI) which is involved in Independent Research work focussing on strengthening business strategies for emerging markets. Josh holds a BA (Hons) Admin degree from the University of Hertfordshire and a Diploma in Public Sector Accounting and is a qualified member of the Association of Accounting Technicians in Zimbabwe (ZAAT). Josh is currently employed by Hertfordshire County Council and is actively involved in UK politics as a Black and Ethnic Minorities Officer in Hertfordshire. He is contesting in the local elections this year and his passion is to encourage as many people to engage in governance issues and tackling polarization in contemporary politics.