Chronicle Editor
Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
WARRIORS interim head coach, Jairos Tapera says the national team will blend locally-based players with those stationed in Europe for this year’s Cosafa Senior Men’s Championship.
The team will have little game time for the forthcoming Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa next month.
Due to a ban on Zimbabwe’s national teams using local stadia for international matches, the Warriors will play against Lesotho at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on June 5, followed by the clash against Bafana Bafana in Bloemfontein on June 11.
Tapera said he had been speaking with the national team management, adding that finances will only allow one group of players in South Africa.
They will remain in camp for the Cosafa Senior Men’s competition scheduled for July 2-17 in Durban.
“I have been talking to the national team management, which has indicated that they only have finances that can accommodate a single group of players in South Africa.
“However, for the Cosafa competition, we will try by all means to have a team that will have a bulk of locally-based players. Foreign-based players who would have had little game time will be considered,” said Tapera.
Tapera and his assistants, Takesure Chiragwi and Saul Chaminuka called up seven locally-based players in their 23-man squad.
Chicken Inn, Manica Diamonds and Dynamos goalkeepers, Donovan Bernard, Godfrey Chitsumba and Martin Mapisa respectively made it into the team alongside Highlanders defender Andrew Mbeba, CAPS United defender Godknows Murwira and the Simba Bhora duo of Walter Musona and Tymon Machope as the locally-based players.
Although the squad was selected by the Zifa secretariat before the coaches were appointed, Tapera said he had been given a chance to make an input.
The squad composition shows that Zifa kept faith in the majority of players who have been doing duty of late.
These include the likes of Jordan Zemura, Andy Rinomhota, Daniel Msendami, Shane Maroodza, Munashe Garananga, Tivonge Rushesha, Joey Phuthi, Walter Musona and Tawanda Maswanhise.
Another exciting addition is Tawanda Chirewa of English Premiership side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Injured captain, Marvelous Nakamba is out, but there were no major surprises in the group that also includes senior players Teenage Hadebe, Tino Kadewere, Gerald Takwara, Devine Lunga and vice-captain Marshall Munetsi, who form the core of the Warriors.
Polokwane City’s Douglas Mapfumo, Machope and Chitsumba are the new faces in the set-up. — @FungaiMuderere
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