“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens . . .” Ecclesiastes 3:1 reads. ALBERT MARUFU Sports reporter
For Zifa vice-chairman Ndumiso Gumede, time is up for him to leave Zifa, an association he has served in different capacities since being invited as a committee member by then Youth, Sport and Recreation minister Joice Mujuru in 1980.
His term in the current Zifa executive will end this month with new office bearers being voted into office on March 29.
It has been a journey that has seen him coming face to face with the association’s tribal wars, backstabbing, heartbreaks of two divorces, the Dream Team’s soaring success, the Warriors’ underperformance and occasional pleasant surprises and among the most down moments, the match fixing scandal that rocked Zimbabwe.
“It is now time I devoted my energy to looking for someone in my life who will wake me up every morning,” the 68-year-old bachelor said.
Gumede, a divorcee since 1993 added: “I like football and sadly it cost me one of my marriages when one of my former wives asked me to choose between her and football and I chose the latter. With that choice, the marriage was over.”
The former Highlanders chairman will, however, continue serving in the Caf appeals Committee and as Fifa Interpol match-fixing trainer.
“Though football made me poorer, I have no regrets. It was about sacrifice and I remember using my car to ferry players to a match while at Highlanders. There have been negatives and our failure to lure sponsors ranks among the worst. Zimbabwean football can be in a better position with proper funding,” the former ZBC continuity announcer, said.
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“I am also not happy with how Fifa handled the Asiagate issue. Fifa sent Chris Eaton to supervise how we had conducted the investigations and he gave his blessing promising funding for the association. Now Fifa has reneged on its promise. This left Zifa with a debt of nearly $1 million.”
