Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
MACAULEY BONNE is carrying the right mindset into his debut Africa Cup of Nations that gets underway in Morocco tomorrow.
The 30-year-old England-born Warriors striker is one of the several mature players, who will make their bows in the biennial continental show-piece.
Zimbabwe, who are in Group B along with Egypt, South Africa and Angola, begin their hunt in the tournament with a showdown against the Pharaohs on Monday night.
Rinomhota blow
The Warriors, however, suffered another big blow with defensive midfielder Andy Rinomhota, having to leave camp on the eve of the team’s opener against the Pharaohs.
Rinomhota last night issued a statement citing urgent family reasons for his 11th hour withdrawal from the squad.
The midfielder cited a family matter requiring his full attention as the reason for stepping away at this crucial stage of the Warriors preparations.
He also requested privacy as he walked away from national duty.
“I wish to inform the public that I have had to withdraw from the Zimbabwe Men’s national team camp, effective immediately due to an urgent family matter that requires my full personal attention,’’ Rinomhota wrote on his social media platform.
“I am deeply gutted to miss out on a tournament of this magnitude. Representing Zimbabwe at the highest level has always been a source of pride and while I was fully committed to this opportunity, the timing of this family means I am not in the right psychological space to give the team my best.
“This decision has not been taken lightly. I remain fully committed to the national team and look forward to returning to duty once the family matter has been resolved.
“I would like to wish my teammates and the entire technical group the very best at the tournament. I will be supporting them wholeheartedly and praying that Zimbabwe goes all the way.
“I would like to thank the Zimbabwe Football Association for the opportunity and support they have given me.
“I respectfully request privacy for myself and my family during this period,’’ Rinomhota said.
Hopes high despite setbacks
Rinomhota’s withdrawal will leave the Warriors midfield thinner given that two other key members of the department Marshall Munetsi and Jordan Zemura are already missing due to injuries.
Expectations are, however, high back home especially with the new vibe that is sweeping across the landscape following the arrival of a new coach in Marian “Mario” Marinica, who has previously led Malawi to the Round-of-16.
For Bonne, finally appearing in this tournament is both sentimental and fulfilling.
The Maldon and Tiptree striker was touted as a huge prospect for Zimbabwe when he first represented the country in an Under-23 match against Morocco under Kalisto Pasuwa, 11 years ago.
He was so good, bullying the Moroccan rearguard and he duly delivered the opening goal of the match slotting past goalkeeper Bono, who has now grown to be one of the best goalminders in Africa.
Although Zimbabwe eventually lost that match 2-1, Bonne had delivered just the right ingredients before the country, and he was expected to become the Warriors’ mainstay upfront.
However, a catalogue of issues including passport technicalities, medical withdrawals and then Covid-19 protocols limited his appearances for the Warriors so much that he was literally forgotten in the process.
Bonne, however, has the chance to finally show that he is the X-Factor Zimbabwe could have been missing all along, when the ball gets rolling at the AFCON.
He knows he could have played at the 2017 Nations Cup in Gabon or two years later in Egypt or even in 2022 when Cameroon hosted the event a year later than scheduled but he couldn’t for different reasons.
The former Queens Park Rangers man can now showcase himself exactly where he first introduced himself in Zimbabwean colours and he knows how sentimental it will be for him to complete the circle in a remarkable manner.
Bonne was one of the players who were given a chance to impress Marinica along with predominantly local-based lads in a three-week camp in Harare and distinguished himself as a goal-getter with his instincts bordering well with the Romanian coach’s philosophy.
He knows Zimbabwe have never gone past the group stage hurdle in five appearances at the AFCON finals and he is eager to be part of the first crop to re-write the story.
“I am happy to be here representing the Warriors. We know it will be tough but we will try and be able to do well in the group phase,” he said.
“We have worked hard as a group and we have been building a good understanding with each other. We are hoping that we will play and do well in this tournament. Everyone is pushing hard and we will try to make the country proud.”
Bonne is likely to be the go-to centre-forward in Marinica’s “fast and very fast” strategy given he is blessed with good speed on top of his technical soundness.
Institutionally, he knows how to get the ball into the nets after also scoring in his most recent appearance for the Warriors in a 2-2 draw against Zambia during the Four-Nations Cup played in Malawi last year.
That means in five international games he has taken part in, Bonne scored twice and he will be expected to balance the books for the Warriors.
After their opener against Egypt on Monday, Zimbabwe will play Angola on Boxing Day before they conclude group business with a date against South Africa three days later.
