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WIGAN Athletic captain Tendayi Darikwa turned down the latest Warriors call up, fuelling speculation he might be next national team player to retire from international football. The former Nottingham Forest right back last played for Zimbabwe in the World Cup qualifier against Ghana in Cape Coast last year in September.
Soccer24 has it on good authority that Darikwa was one of the players called to play in the upcoming AFCON qualifiers before it was confirmed Zimbabwe would not take part, and he turned down the invitation. National teams general manager, Wellington Mpandare, admitted that it will be very difficult to have Darikwa back in the Warriors fold. “It will take a lot of convincing to have him back,” he told Soccer24.
“Tendayi was never happy with the ZIFA board because of false promises before and during Egypt AFCON tournament. When he came for the game against Ghana he thought things had improved. That’s when he told me that he was not going to report for national duty as long as these people (the former ZIFA board led by Felton Kamambo) were in charge and I have messages to that effect. “With all this confusion Tendayi and most players feel the suspended ZIFA people should just resign to save our football if ever they love our country and football. There is a lot of untold stories that transpired within the camp and one day I will say it all. A lot of stuff has been kept between the players and me for professional reasons but soon it will be time to say it all,” added Mpandare. — Soccer24
Online Reporter