The manner in which the FC Platinum hierarchy reacted to their defeat to Scottland was clearly the turning point in their season.
The former champions headed into the match day 24 clash oozing with confidence, having gone up to that time without tasting defeat.
They had even shrugged off the psychological effects of losing Brian Banda, as they won four matches in succession after the diminutive midfielder passed away in a car accident on June 29.
Those in the truth-telling business will argue that Norman Mapeza’s charges were serious title contenders before the Scottland game, but a 5-2 demolition by the Premiership debutants left them battered and bruised and with no sign of recovering.
The defeat was marred by allegations of match-fixing, with multiple reports suggesting that two players —defender Thubelihle Ndlovu and goalkeeper David Bizabani- were served with suspension letters.
FC Platinum kept a very tight lid on the reported suspension of the duo, but the players’ absence from the matchday squad for the next three matches —two in the league and one in the Chibuku Super Cup- fueled speculation of their suspension.
The defeat to CAPS United at Mandava on Saturday —their fourth in a row, aptly tells a story of a club in crisis, as a result of failing to manage the initial crisis.
Their reaction to the Scottland defeat —blaming players without substantive evidence, could have been the beginning of the problem, not the defeat itself.
Banishing key players weakened the team when it needed all its players together, and might have resulted in the fear of making mistakes by those who replaced them.
Similarly, lack of trust among teammates due to suspicion raised against others might have also made things worse for the Zvishavane-based side.
Mapeza somewhat even made the situation worse when he appeared to be blaming goalkeeper Wallace Magalane for the second goal his troops conceded in the loss to Triangle United at Gibbo.
How could they have managed the situation better?
Surely, the club ought to have protected its players by reacting to the issue only after gathering enough evidence.
The platinum miners should have accepted defeat as part of the game and prepared for upcoming matches without disrupting the rhythm that had resulted in their previous unbeaten run.
The club’s leaders should have worn their thinking caps and realized that the way they reacted to the problem, if any, could not have come at a worse time for a team that is still recovering from the loss of a teammate, Banda.
They clearly weren’t listening when Leonard Safier said: “In crisis management, be quick with facts and slow with blame.”
