By Makomborero Gold Mutimukulu – Zim1 Football Blogger
The debate surrounding Sean Fusire’s omission from Zimbabwe’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers has caused unnecessary noise. But when looked at carefully, Sheffield Wednesday’s position makes complete sense – and it’s one that the Warriors should embrace positively.
As I wrote earlier, “It is irresponsible – if not treasonous – for ZIFA staffers, who have wet dreams of being journalists, to leak half-baked information about Sheffield Wednesday’s recommendations on Sean Fusire.” Clubs are employers first, responsible for the health, contracts and insurances of their players. If Fusire suffers an injury on national duty, it is Wednesday who must foot the medical bill.
For that reason, the club’s suggestion of a win-win arrangement – allowing their promising midfielder to represent Zimbabwe without risking recurring injury – is not unreasonable. In fact, it is smart player management. When Wednesday requested that Fusire be accompanied by his own physio, this was not a demand designed to drain ZIFA’s resources, but rather a practical solution from the club’s medical team.
Unfortunately, leaks distorted the story and painted the player and his club in a negative light. As I pointed out: “Having his own physio is a suggestion made by the lad’s club. And leaking such info paints ZIFA in bad light – very bad light!”
Instead of treating Wednesday’s stance as a stumbling block, ZIFA should have used it as a platform to strengthen relations with a club that is investing in Fusire’s long-term development. “You don’t burn bridges, you mend them,” I argued. And if the situation becomes unworkable for these qualifiers, then the sensible compromise is to say: OK, let Sean miss these games, but help us prepare him for Afcon.
That is simply Football 101 – not rocket science.
Sean Fusire remains one of Zimbabwe’s brightest midfield prospects, and his exclusion should be seen not as a setback, but as an investment in his readiness to deliver on the bigger stage.