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Philip Chiyangwa

Sports Reporter
ZIFA president Philip Chiyangwa says they are eager to make sure the Mighty Warriors get adequate preparations for the Africa Women Cup of Nations in Cameroon.

The tournament will be staged in Yaounde and Limbe from November 19 to December 3.

Zimbabwe face tricky assignments in Group A against hosts Cameroon, Egypt and South Africa.

Speaking on the sidelines of a dinner held for the Mighty Warriors and Egypt by the Sport and Recreation Minister, Makhosini Hlongwane, in Harare on Monday night, Chiyangwa said they have lined up a number of friendly internationals for the team.

“The plan is that we have started, seeing that we have taken off with the Egyptians coming through. And we are going to have more friendlies along the way, so that we have a stronger team that will go to Cameroon.

“You will appreciate that the group where we are placed at the moment has Egypt, Cameroon and we have beaten Cameroon before. We hope that it’s going to be a continuous process of being victorious until we lift the women’s Afcon Cup.

“I have several countries who are offering us some friendlies but the question is are they coming here or are we going there because going there means it’s expensive.

“I have got to fly the girls, accommodate them and keep spending. If they come here like this we collect the gate charges and give the girls the money. Those that are willing to come here I am willing to host them,” said Chiyangwa.

The ZIFA boss said the welfare of the Mighty Warriors was work in progress.

“Each time, I have a case like this one, where we are coming from a historical background where there was shambolic preparations and so forth which I have inherited, I cleaned up the Warriors and I am going to clean up the Mighty Warriors and put them in a proper position, there will be no issues.

“There are so many African federations struggling with their own teams by the way, it’s not just Zimbabwe. So don’t expect us to be like angels, things happen,” said Chiyangwa.

Newly appointed ZIFA technical director, Taurai Mangwiro, also noted the importance of adequate preparations.

“Our challenge as a nation is known, we need adequate preparations and we don’t need to do things at the last minute.

“The dates are out, we know when we are supposed to play and you don’t want to leave it to the last minute so it’s important that preparations begin in earnest,” said Mangwiro.