Posts by Libertino
OPINION: 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,…
Read MoreOPINION: Marinica is a risk Zimbabwe cannot afford
Zimbabwe’s dream of reaching the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations finals in East Africa will crumble if Marian Marinica remains in charge. The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) cannot afford to gamble on the Romanian-born gaffer, whose record across Africa is defined by failure. Instead, the Nqobile Magwizi-led ZIFA administration should look to South Africa’s example…
Read MoreOPINION: Highlanders fans must be grateful to Wicknell Chivayo
Highlanders fans should be grateful to Wicknell Chivayo for saving their club from potential bankruptcy. His sponsorship has preserved a heritage institution that was on the brink of collapse. While his financial support is invaluable, publicly attaching conditions and withholding funds when they are not met risks destabilising the very club he seeks to protect.…
Read MoreOPINION: Munetsi snub expresses ZIFA’s betrayal of trust
After sacrificing for the Warriors through injury and personal tragedy, Marshall Munetsi was cast aside by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA ) on a flimsy excuse — exposing negligence, dishonesty, and a betrayal of trust that still haunts Zimbabwean football. The Mabvuku-bred midfielder gave everything for the country’s senior men’s national team— and when ZIFA…
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