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Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
WARRIORS coach Ian Gorowa faces a selection dilemma as he seeks to finalise his African Nations Championships squad with more players reportedly being lined up for trials or possible moves by their agents. Gorowa is drawing up a 28-man squad which he would want to go into camp and start intense training ahead of Zimbabwe’s third consecutive appearance at the CHAN finals in South Africa early next month.
But a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the availability of some of the players who starred in the CHAN qualifiers and whom the coach is looking at taking to the tournament which is exclusively for players playing in their national leagues.
Zimbabwe are in Group B which includes Burkina Faso, Uganda and Morocco and will be based at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town for the tournament which will run from January 11 to February 1.
As has often been the case at the end of the domestic Premiership season, a number of local players go on club hunting missions in search of better fortunes in South Africa and Europe.
Already two of the players, who have regularly been called to the home-based Warriors and who featured prominently for their clubs — Highlanders goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya and Hwange defensive rock Eric Chipeta — are in South Africa for trials with Golden Arrows.
Premiership Golden Boot Award winner Tendai Ndoro has already been ruled out of the CHAN squad after having sealed his move to Mpumalanga Black Aces who had earlier loaned him back to Chicken Inn.
Only last week, Harare City talisman Silas Songani travelled to South Africa for a trial stint at Maritzburg United and returned home on the eve of the Warriors’ international friendly against Mozambique at Barbourfields which Gorowa’s men won 2-1.
That left the former Moroka Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns gaffers unbeaten in his tenure as Zimbabwe coach.
It’s against the background of the possibility of the player exodus to other countries that Gorowa and his technical crew, which includes assistants Callisto Pasuwa, Mkhuphali Masuku, Richard Tswatswa, Gift “Umbro’’ Muzadzi and team manager Sharrif Mussa, could be forced to call up more than the 28 players they are eyeing for the camp.
Gorowa last night acknowledged the challenges that he faces but indicated that both Zifa and the Warriors technical crew found themselves in a delicate situation.
The 41-year-old coach said although he was not amused at the manner in which players were bound to suddenly leave camp, he was hopeful the players’ agents would improve on their planning and avoid massive disruptions to the Warriors preparations.
“I think Zifa must put some kind of leash on it but I am aware they have to also tread carefully. It is a delicate situation but these players also need to focus on the big issue which is the preparations for the CHAN tournament,” said Gorowa.
“Obviously, the tournament itself also presents the players with a platform to market themselves.
“But in trying to put a leash we are also aware of the fact that Zifa cannot be seen to be stopping or blocking a player’s move when the opportunity arises and unfortunately for us it is the clubs who have control over the players and if the clubs give the players the greenlight there is nothing that we can do.
“It would be very nice, though, if the agents could give an indication of when the players would be leaving because sometimes players just disappear and after a few days you see them resurfacing so we are caught in between really,’’ Gorowa said.
Despite the challenges Gorowa, who is hopeful of retaining the best of the local talent, said it would be difficult to name an enlarged squad given the need for a coach “to manage the training sessions’’.
The Warriors are expected to resume preparations anytime soon amid indications last night that cash-strapped Zifa, who are still expecting some government or private sector funding for the CHAN preparations, were still running around with their begging bowl and searching for resources.
Zifa have already told Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Andrew Langa and his deputy Tabetha Kanengoni-Malinga of their financial plight and that they are also hoping that the Football Trust they set up to mobilise resources for the Warriors will also meet with some measure of success.
The association, which indicated through chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze that they did not have the funds to send the Warriors on a training camp in South Africa, have also launched a “Dollar For Football’’ campaign in the hope that Zimbabweans will spare, at least a dollar, and contribute into a trust fund that could help the senior team to have adequate preparations.
Online Reporter