admin
Curtworth Masango
Sports Reporter
CELEBRATED former Zimbabwe, Amazulu, Dynamos, and Zimbabwe Saints midfielder Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda has called for consistency in the manner in which players are selected for the senior national soccer team’s assignments.
Sibanda believes there has to be some continuity in the Warriors, especially if players are picked on merit.
He is against the idea of chopping and changing the squad at every Warriors international assignment.
Sibanda was speaking in the wake of new Warriors coach Michael Nees’ first squad since the German was unveiled by ZIFA last week.
One of the finest midfielders of his generation, Sibanda noted there had been seven changes to the Warriors from the squad that was last picked for the World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa.
Then, the Warriors were under the interim tutelage of Manica Diamonds coach Jairos Tapera.
Nees will begin his tenure as Warriors coach with two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying assignments against Kenya on September 6 and Cameroon four days later.
Both games are scheduled for Uganda’s Nelson Mandela Stadium.
Those who have been dropped from the World Cup squad include goalkeepers Martin Mapisa and Geoffrey Chitsumba of Dynamos and Manica Diamonds.
In come veteran Washington Arubi and rookie Marley Tavaziva.
There was also a surprise exclusion of Mamelodi Sundowns’ Devine Lunga while Shane Maroodza was also dropped from the defence.
The midfield pair of Joey Puthi and Tivonge Rushesha, who struggled in the World Cup qualifiers were also dropped as was Simba Bhora leading scorer Tymon Machope.
Sibanda said while it was part of the game to move around players, he did not advocate for wholesale changes for each assignment.
“Look at the Fabisch team, there were no wholesale changes . . . if Vitalis (Takawira) starts, maybe Adam (Ndlovu) would be on the bench, so in our days only a few changes were made,” Sibanda said.
“But now if we say we have a team on Wednesday, come Sunday there will be seven changes, and the next game 12 changes, it raises questions.
“To be honest you cannot make a team that way, those changes are too much.
“I don’t know if it is an issue of agents who influence the selection of teams. I don’t want to judge but I think we are changing too much.” Despite having to rely on the local technical team for his initial assignment, Nees told the media at his first press conference that he would not bow down to the undue influence of cartels that have captured the national team and may seek to manipulate his selection of the Warriors.
Nees insisted that meritocracy would be the key to how he will go about his business.
“It’s a fact that players have representatives or agents, but they don’t make selections.
Online Reporter