Over the years, we have seen Zimbabwe football fans develop a frightening beggar syndrome that has seen them always placing a begging bowl at Zifa House whenever Afcon finals arrives.
It has become a bad habit that when each and every time Afcon comes, the fans are quick to turn to Zifa for financial assistance when the football federation itself has even more pressing commitments to take care of.
Yet, the football fans do not fall under the direct control of the national football federation but have associations of their own and notably, the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association and the Warriors Friends Club.
Surely, this system of always knocking on Zifa's door for a full board from transport, food and accommodation must go because it puts a huge financial strain on the football controlling body.
It does not make any sense for national team players to go without their allowances and bonuses when football fans are living in a lap of luxury at Zifa's expense.
All over the world football fans follow their team at their own expense and it is high time that Zimbabwe football followers also did the same by organising themselves through the associations which represent them.
A genuine and true football fan is willing to make sacrifices by paying for himself or seeking sponsorship elsewhere to travel to watch his team play rather than depend on the football federation.
Surprisingly, these same supporters make huge sacrifices following Caps United, Dynamos, Highlanders and others around the country but are not willing to make the same sacrifice for the national team.
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In fact, some of them even think it is their right that Zifa should fund their stay at the Afcon finals for as long as they want to stay and for as long as the Warriors are in the competition - which is wrong.
The last time Zimbabwe travelled to the Afcon finals without fans because Zifa was not in a position to fund them and the Sports and Recreation Commission also felt it was not their duty to do so.
Yet on the other hand, we have seen - although not too many - Zimbabwe cricket and rugby fans following the Chevrons and the Sables around the world at their own expense.
What is it with football that we always want to be spoon-fed whenever the Warriors have international engagements including demanding free entry tickets when the team is at home.
How then do we expect Zifa to sustain the costs of running the Zimbabwe national soccer team when we all want to watch them in action for free.
With the Afcon finals 10 months away, now is not too early for the football fans - through the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association - to start organising themselves on how they will travel to Morocco.
Should Zifa or the government decide to organise a chartered plane that would surely be a bonus on the part of the supporters but first they should make an effort to self-sustain themselves.
Zimbabwe are in a tough Afcon 2025 group that includes Angola, Egypt, and South Africa and Zifa needs all the financial resources they can have to motivate the players rather than look after football fans.
Now that the Zimbabwe National Soccer Supporters Association and the Warriors Friends Club are working together, they should discourage this begging habit and find ways and means of taking their members to Afcon 2025 and beyond.
It would be refreshing if not heartening in December to see a plane leave Zimbabwe for Morocco full of Warriors fans only.
* For your views, comments, and suggestions mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 071 0774 596 or call on 0773 266 779.
