FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza says the standard of football in the country has gone down over the years with the majority of teams playing one route football.
The former Warriors coach made the assessment following his club’s 2-0 win over Bulawayo City in a Premier Soccer League match at the weekend. Said Mapeza:
I have to be honest, the quality of football has gone down massively. Of course, there are teams that have been winning, but their performances… most teams in the league can’t play three, four or five passes.
It’s just two passes, ball forward, two touches and then ball forward.
Mapeza blamed club owners who demand immediate results at the expense of quality for the declining football standards.
He, however, commended Bulawayo City coached by Philani Ncube for playing passing football. Mapeza said:
We were trying to pass the ball around. They (Bulawayo City) did well, they were passing the ball around also and that is how we want to play our football.
This, from goalkeeper to central striker, is nothing. You might say people are not coming to watch football, but what do you want them to watch?
Teams that can’t even string five passes? Who wants to watch that kind of football?
Mapeza said the solution lies in going back to the basis, that is, the development of junior football.