ZIFA Northern Region Division One side Gunners owner Walter Magaya is seemingly feeling the heat of sponsoring his football club after he blamed the referees for his team’s recent poor performances.
The former Premiership side currently sits on position six on the log standings with 14 points. Last weekend, Gunners continued with their poor form after they played to a goalless draw against Cargo Carriers at Rufaro Stadium.
Tapfumaneyi Dodo’s charges last scored when they beat ZRP Morris 2-1 before losing 2-0 to DSTV Rangers and drawing 0-0 with Karoi United before the clash with Cargo. With his side not firing on all cylinders and six points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum, the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) ministries founder now feels the pressure on his side to win promotion.
Gunners are one of the most financially stable teams in the division and were expected to be early pacesetters in the race to win promotion into the Castle Lager Premiership.
“The biggest challenge I have noticed in Division One is the type of refereeing that is there,” Magaya told the Weekend Post.
“I have watched three games this season and it’s very terrible; there is no way that our football can improve unless we address the issue of refereeing.
“For the past four games all our opponents have been given penalties. I tell you, you would laugh, I have got the videos of those matches in which our opponents were given penalties and it is terrible.”
However, the Zifa Northern Region Division One chairman, Willard Manyengavana said they have not received any formal complaint from Gunners regarding the league’s referees.
“For Gunners, we have never received any complaint concerning referees from them,” he said.
“Our duty is to work on complaints from clubs concerning referees and we will forward those concerns to Zimbabwe Referees Association.
“We don’t appoint referees as Northern Region and the referees don’t belong to us but I cannot comment more on the issue of referees.
“What I want to tell the clubs is that if they have any complaints they must come to us and we are more than willing to help them; it’s our job.”
In recent weeks, Magaya has come to the rescue of Zifa by bailing out various national teams with money so they could fulfil their assignments.
Meanwhile, Magaya declined claims that he wants to buy a Premiership club. The popular prophet has been linked with the franchise of struggling Dongo Sawmills in recent weeks.
“My goal is to change lives. I want to change life in Division One, for me Gunners is like my family,” he said. “We have come together from a very long way and there’s no way I’m going to leave the club just for the love of Premiership football.”
The former Premiership side currently sits on position six on the log standings with 14 points. Last weekend, Gunners continued with their poor form after they played to a goalless draw against Cargo Carriers at Rufaro Stadium.
Tapfumaneyi Dodo’s charges last scored when they beat ZRP Morris 2-1 before losing 2-0 to DSTV Rangers and drawing 0-0 with Karoi United before the clash with Cargo. With his side not firing on all cylinders and six points behind log leaders Ngezi Platinum, the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) ministries founder now feels the pressure on his side to win promotion.
 |
| Prophet Walter Magaya is feeling the heat |
“The biggest challenge I have noticed in Division One is the type of refereeing that is there,” Magaya told the Weekend Post.
“I have watched three games this season and it’s very terrible; there is no way that our football can improve unless we address the issue of refereeing.
“For the past four games all our opponents have been given penalties. I tell you, you would laugh, I have got the videos of those matches in which our opponents were given penalties and it is terrible.”
However, the Zifa Northern Region Division One chairman, Willard Manyengavana said they have not received any formal complaint from Gunners regarding the league’s referees.
“For Gunners, we have never received any complaint concerning referees from them,” he said.
“Our duty is to work on complaints from clubs concerning referees and we will forward those concerns to Zimbabwe Referees Association.
“We don’t appoint referees as Northern Region and the referees don’t belong to us but I cannot comment more on the issue of referees.
“What I want to tell the clubs is that if they have any complaints they must come to us and we are more than willing to help them; it’s our job.”
In recent weeks, Magaya has come to the rescue of Zifa by bailing out various national teams with money so they could fulfil their assignments.
Meanwhile, Magaya declined claims that he wants to buy a Premiership club. The popular prophet has been linked with the franchise of struggling Dongo Sawmills in recent weeks.
“My goal is to change lives. I want to change life in Division One, for me Gunners is like my family,” he said. “We have come together from a very long way and there’s no way I’m going to leave the club just for the love of Premiership football.”
