Former Zimbabwe assistant coach Moses Chunga has bemoaned the dearth of lethal goal-scorers in the country as the current crop of strikers struggle to hit the 20-goal mark 12 years after Norman Maroto banged 22 goals in the league.
Four games remain before Zimbabwe’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season ends. At this point, Caps United striker William Manondo is the nearest with 15 goals to his name after 30 matches.
TWENTY-GOAL MARK
Manondo is followed by ex-Polokwane and Sekhukune midfielders Walter Musona and Brian Muza, who are tied on 11 goals.
Former Dynamos marksman Maroto was the last to breach the 20-goal mark when he scored 22 goals for the now-defunct Gunners in 2010.
In 2012 former Kabwe Warriors forward Nelson Mazivisa scored 18 goals when he was attached to the trailblazing Shabanie Mine of Zvishavane.
Former Orlando Pirates striker Tendai Ndoro also scored the same number of goals in 2013 for Chicken Inn.
But the dwindling scoring rate in the last decade has left almost every football lover asking questions about where the strikers are getting it wrong.
NURTURING STRIKERS
And the outspoken Chunga is the first to admit that Zimbabwe is beset with a strikers crisis at club and national team levels.
“It’s disappointing to have a big team having a top goal scorer with seven or eight when the season ends. We have such a scenario in the top eight at the moment,” he said.
“We can ask a lot of questions or talk about it, but the reality is that we have a strikers crisis. We no longer have the type of strikers who would score in every match, whether winning or losing.”
Chunga said the dwindling scoring records result from poor grooming of strikers, as most clubs resort to recycling players instead of investing in junior development.
“It goes back to our grooming. Maybe we are not being effective in nurturing these strikers at the preliminary stages of their careers, or we lack the natural strikers with a killer instinct,” he said.
“Teams play good football, but scoring is elusive. That’s why you see most games end in narrow margins. Goals are a reflection of good team play. Teams play to score and win.
“I also think we have focused much of our play on defending rather than attacking. You see, a team has more strong defenders than strikers. It’s sad, but we must work hard on this as coaches and scouts.”
