By Princess Eugene Majuru
London, England ( News of The South) – Following Zimbabwe’s recent defeat to Nigeria in the Four-Nation Unity Cup in London, UK-based Zimbabwean football scout and player developer Jomo Dyson Dzapasi has defended both the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) and Warriors interim coach Kaitano Tembo, urging Zimbabweans to focus on long-term development rather than short-term criticism.
In an interview with Zimbabwe Herald’s Collin Matiza, Dzapasi praised the current ZIFA leadership and described the recent international tournament as a positive step in rebuilding Zimbabwean football and strengthening ties with the diaspora community.
Zimbabwe suffered a 2-0 defeat to Nigeria in the semi-finals of the Four-Nation Unity Cup at The Valley Stadium in London, a match in which Coach Tembo opted to field several fringe and emerging players. The decision attracted criticism from some supporters who questioned the team selection and performance.
However, Dzapasi believes the criticism directed at Tembo is unfair.
Speaking to The Herald’s Collin Matiza from his base in Leeds, England, Dzapasi said Zimbabweans must understand the purpose of such international friendlies and tournaments.
“These games are meant to allow coaches to experiment, test young players, and evaluate talent for the future. We should be objective when assessing coaches and not rush to criticize after one result,” Dzapasi said.
He commended interim coach Kaitano Tembo for what he described as a “bold move” in trusting younger players and exposing them to high-level international competition.
Dzapasi also reserved praise for ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi, saying the association had exceeded expectations in recent months.
According to Dzapasi, organising a major international football event in the United Kingdom — home to a large Zimbabwean diaspora community — demonstrates a renewed effort by ZIFA to reconnect with Zimbabweans abroad while creating valuable international exposure for local football.
He noted that competing against a football powerhouse such as Nigeria was always going to be difficult given the depth and quality of players available to the Super Eagles.
In his interview with Zimbabwe Herald’s Collin Matiza, Dzapasi explained that Nigeria possesses an enormous pool of players competing in Europe’s top leagues, including England, Spain, France, Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Turkey, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
“Nigeria has a football system with hundreds of elite-level players across Europe. Zimbabwe is still building towards that level, so comparisons must be realistic,” Dzapasi said.
He argued that Zimbabwe should instead focus on identifying positives from the match and building a stronger future through youth integration and diaspora recruitment.
Among the positives highlighted by Dzapasi were the inclusion of young talents such as Sean Fusire, Cobbie Mthunzi, Shane Marodza, and Mongameli Tshuma, whom he believes represent the future of Zimbabwean football.
He also applauded ZIFA’s efforts to identify diaspora talent, referencing the invitation extended to Wolverhampton Wanderers youngster Ethan Sutherland, who was unable to participate due to injury.
Dzapasi said the current technical team, led by Tembo and assistant coach Takesure Chirangwi, deserves support as they work to blend local talent with Zimbabweans developing abroad.
Looking ahead, Dzapasi encouraged ZIFA to widen its talent search beyond Europe and actively scout Zimbabwean players competing in Australia’s A-League, where several Zimbabwean footballers are reportedly making progress
Through his organisation, PYE Football Scouting, Dzapasi said he remains committed to assisting Zimbabwe football by sharing player data and helping track promising young Zimbabweans abroad.
He highlighted several prospects believed to be on the radar, including Christian Clarke of Nottingham Forest Under-21, Junior Kuzanga of Southampton’s youth setup, Nathan Dlamini of Blackburn Rovers, and Ethan Kachosa, a former Sunderland and Leeds United academy player.
As Zimbabwe continues rebuilding its football identity, Dzapasi’s message remains clear: patience, planning, and investment in youth development will determine the future of the Warriors more than one result against a football giant like Nigeria.
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