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The Warriors are expected to camp in Harare today ahead of their departure at the weekend for the tournament that kicks off on Monday and features Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and the host nation Botswana.
Former AmaZulu leftback Goodson Gama said he failed to understand Gumbo’s selection criteria as he believes it does not depict the cream of the local Premiership.
“For starters, you cannot have a goalkeeper said to be the only player from a team that has gone for an unbeaten run of 13 games. Highlanders are at the top of the log and my question is, is the goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda the only reason why they are at the top?
“If you look in other countries, for example Spain, they have most of their players drawn from their top two teams that is Barcelona and Real Madrid. Obviously at this stage you will expect to see players from Highlanders, Shabanie Mine, Chicken Inn or FC Platinum in the team because they have been playing well,” Gama said.
Gama was also surprised that Marlon Jani who he played with was in the team.
“I played with Jani a long time ago and I fail to find sense as to how and why he is in that team if they are saying they are preparing for the future. You also have this boy Abbas Amidu who has not been playing in South Africa and recently he was loaned out to Black Leopards by Kaizer Chiefs because he doesn’t command a starting place.
“Why don’t the coaches give youngsters or players that are playing locally a chance to shine?” said Gama.
Some of the players that have been vital cogs at Highlanders like Peter “Rio” Moyo, Eric Mudzingwa, Mthulisi Maphosa and Masimba Mambare were overlooked.
Maphosa was obviously overlooked because his name is on the Asiagate list.
Marx Mapungu, a staunch Dynamos supporter questioned Gumbo’s wisdom in calling more than two players from Caps United and Monomotapa.
Monomotapa players that were called for camp are defender Morgan Mungumbe, midfielder Brian Mapfumo and Ronald Chitiyo while Tapiwa Khumbuyani leads the Caps United entourage of latest acquisition from Gunners Hardlife Zvireki and Rahman Kutsanzira.
Monomotapa are mid table.
Khumbuyani is the most experienced defender in the squad.
“People have been saying Rahman hagoni basa but this team he called up has exposed his shortcomings. He contradicts himself, says they don’t want to disrupt the league and calls many players from one team. What does he want to achieve? “Such competitions are used to look at your fringe players and the last time he called up players like Simon Munawa (Highlanders) and Chicken Inn’s Kuda Mahachi when he was preparing for the World Cup qualifiers but they are not in the team. I think FC Platinum did right by firing him because he looks indecisive,” said Mapungu.
Hwange goalkeeper Timothy Sibanda, Caps United’s Nyasha Mukumbi, Welcome Ndiweni of Caps United and Dynamos’ duo of Takesure Chinyama are notable absentees from the list of local based players that were called in for Fifa World Cup 2014 and Afcon 2013 qualifiers in May.
Another fan said, “I believe the national team must be national and coaches should look at other parts of the country. It is the coaches’ responsibility to make sure that deserving players make it into the team.
“We want people who will have pride in defending our sovereignty and that means players in top teams should be in the national team,” said Sharon Muto.
Vusa Ndlovu of Tsholotsho also shared Gama’s sentiments.
“I think Rahman Gumbo is trying too hard to impress his present paymasters because if he is a coach who plans for tomorrow then he would not have ignored two infield players from Highlanders.
“No doubt Highlanders are the team to beat at the moment and without taking anything from Ariel Sibanda, I think it would have been better to look at infield players because already there is Washington Arubi and Tapiwa Kapini who are better than him at national team level.
“With his (Gumbo) indecisiveness, Zifa must look out because this man will fail us. Let’s hope the Zifa Technical Committee will knock some sense into his head in future,” said Ndlovu.
A prominent businesswoman who owns a sports shop in the city said she did not know any of the names of players in the national team.
Online Reporter