Chronicle Editor
Sikhumbuzo Moyo and Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporters
WARRIORS’ coach Zdravko Logarusic has indicated that he reserved the Cosafa Cup for national team fringe players he wants to examine ahead of the important Fifa World Cup qualifiers in September and Afcon finals set for Cameroon next year.
However, the debatable issue is that the so called fringe players seem to have been selected based on previous performance rather than present form.
The criteria of national team selection has remained an area of contestation each time the squad is announced.
The general feeling is that players are not picked on merit and blame has been placed on corrupt player intermediaries working in cahoots with members of the national team coaching department as well as some powerful individuals with links to football administration structures.
Lack of proper junior structures among a wide range of other issues, have also been raised.
What doesn’t make sense with the recently announced Cosafa squad is the selection of struggling players ahead of players that were in form in the Chibuku Super Cup.
One of the players who is guaranteed selection in the Warriors’ squad for the Cosafa Cup is Ovidy Karuru who plays for South African side Black Leopards who were relegated from the DStv Premier Soccer League in the just-ended South African season.
It’s a given that Karuru will be in the squad regardless of form and he has sealed a permanent place in the Warriors’ set up.
Striker Evans Rusike flopped at SuperSport United this past season and was offloaded yet he’s deemed good enough for the Warriors despite being clubless.
Rusike had a scoring rate of just under 12 percent for SuperSport and its ironic that the man in charge of Matsantsantsa is Kaitano Tembo, a Zimbabwean.
If he was really good, there is nowhere Tembo would have let his own countryman leave but for Loga, it seems form is never an issue.
Players commanding first team jerseys are overlooked while those without any teams are selected.
Nqobizitha Masuku, Ariel Sibanda, Denver Mukamba, Silas Songani, Kelvin Madzongwe and Frank Makarati are some of the players that have been excelling in the Chibuku Super Cup but surprisingly can’t make the Warriors’ grade according to Loga and his lieutenants.
What became evident even from the Chan experience is that the Warriors lack combinations and understanding of the coach’s philosophy.
That is what the coach should be focusing on with young players instead of overlooking them for certain favourites.
It is sad that Zifa is not in a financial position to organise international friendlies but the Cosafa Cup should really be a development platform for upcoming players and not a preparatory tourney for Afcon and the World Cup.
Perhaps the Cosafa cup should strictly be a developmental competition.
In fact, it’s now clear that the Cosafa Cup is no longer a preparatory event for the Warriors’ World Cup qualifiers and Afcon finals, and Zifa and Loga must not continue to mislead the nation.
Come September when the Fifa World Cup qualifiers get underway, the squad will be made up of completely new faces.
Warriors squad
Goalkeepers: Washington Arubi (Marumo Gallants), Nelson Chadya (Ngezi Platinum Stars), Martin Mapisa (Zamora CF)
Defenders: MacClive Phiri (Sekhukhune United), Kelvin Moyo (Nkana), Carlos Mavhurume (CAPS United), Andrew Mbeba (Highlanders), Lennox Muchero (Yadah Stars), Godknows Murwira (Dynamos), Qadr Amini (Ngezi Platinum Stars), Malvin Mkolo (Bulawayo Chiefs), Jimmy Dzingai (Nkana)
Midfielders: Blessing Sarupinda (CAPS United), Perfect Chikwende (Simba SC), Tatenda Tavengwa (Harare City), Shadreck Nyahwa (Dynamos), Brian Banda (FC Platinum), King Nadolo (Dynamos), Nyasha Dube (Little Rock Rangers), Jonah Fabisch (Hamburger SV), Ovidy Karuru (Black Leopards), Richard Hachiro (CAPS United)
Strikers: Farau Matare (Bulawayo Chiefs), Knox Mutizwa (Lamontville Golden Arrows), Evans Rusike (unattached).
Online Reporter