Posts by Libertino
OPINION: Zimbabwe should be learning from Eswatini, not the other way round
There is something flattering about Zimbabwean football, even flattering in a bittersweet way, that a parliamentary delegation from Eswatini came to Harare to benchmark our football model on 17 July 2026. It signals that Zimbabwe still matters in the regional imagination: our pitches attract talent, our clubs attract money, and our league has become a…
Read MoreOPINION: CAPS United is his project, but Jere is offside on Magalane shaming
Farai Jere may own CAPS United, but ownership does not entitle him to humiliate players in public. His reckless accusations of potential match-fixing against goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, without providing a shred of evidence, were unprofessional and dangerous. Match-fixing is a grave offence that can attract a lifetime FIFA ban, and to throw around such allegations…
Read MoreOPINION: Ban SaMamoe and every unruly element like him
There is no place for reckless delinquents at football stadia. At Barbourfields Stadium, there is a man who has made the advertising boards above the terraces his personal seat, the field of play his pre-match ritual ground, and security personnel’s instructions his personal inconvenience. His name, in football circles, is SaMamoe. Photographs from multiple Highlanders…
Read MoreOPINION: Tight but not competitive: The PSL title race illusion
If the PSL title race were a university class, it would be one without a single Distinction student.Four teams locked on 28 points looks dramatic—until you realise they’ve already played 15 games. Twenty‑eight points from a possible 45 is a 62.2% return, just 1.86 points per game. With more than a third of the season…
Read MoreOPINION: Chahwanda Stadium chaos: Poor security is no excuse for fan lawlessness
Security lapses were evident, but grown men invading the pitch and endangering lives cannot be excused. Individual accountability, not collective punishment, is the only way forward. The scenes at Chahwanda Stadium during Hardrock’s clash with Dynamos on 24 May 2026 were an embarrassment to both clubs and to local football. Yes, there were glaring security…
Read MoreOPINION: Young players must value game time over short term financial gains
In modern football, money talks louder than ever. No one can entirely fault players for chasing lucrative contracts—even if it means sacrificing career progress. After all, football is a short career, and the fear of injury or loss of form makes grabbing the bag tempting. Yet, players and their management must weigh what they stand…
Read MoreOPINION: ZIFA should have shielded Hadebe and the Warriors from needless distractions
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has once again and probably not for the last time, demonstrated its inability to manage crises effectively—this time in the case of Teenage Hadebe. A viral video showing the player holding a bottle presumed to contain alcohol while in camp has sparked controversy, but the FA’s response has been more…
Read MoreOPINION: Fans will embrace the US$5 ticket if football quality improves
The Premier Soccer League’s decision to raise the cheapest ticket from three to five dollars has sparked outrage. Yet the truth is simple: fans will not feel the pinch if the football product itself improves. Even though tickets in Zambia cost about USD $1 (K20) and in South Africa around USD $3 (R50), local supporters…
Read MoreOPINION: Preseason camps abroad can unlock Zimbabwean football’s potential
To catch up with regional and continental peers, local clubs must stop treating preseason as a ritual and start treating it as an investment — preferably one that begins beyond our borders. Preseason is more than a period to shake off rust; it is the foundation on which a club’s season is built. In Zimbabwe,…
Read MoreOPINION: Sheep to the slaughter: Zimbabwe’s Mighty Warriors enter COSAFA unprepared
Zimbabwe’s football teams keep losing before kick-off—not on the pitch, but in preparation or lack thereof. Zimbabwe’s senior women’s football team, the Mighty Warriors, march into the COSAFA Women’s Championship (CWC) on 18 February underprepared—like sheep to the slaughter. The team’s talent and commitment are unquestionable, but two weeks of training cannot deliver the endurance,…
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