Hardrock celebrates international call-ups, launches women’s team

Zimpapers Sports Hub

HARDROCK FC is celebrating a proud moment, with three players called up to represent their countries.
Washington Navaya made the Warriors squad for the four-nations tournament in Botswana, facing Zambia and Malawi. Navaya’s experience in Morocco with Telone FC and current form with Hardrock (1 goal in 4 games) has him poised to shine.

Eswatini has called up Sambulo Simelane and Neliswa Dlamini for matches against Eritrea. Both have been key players for Hardrock since January, with Dlamini anchoring midfield and Simelane wazing opponents with pace and trickery.

Hardrock’s chairman, Wellington Mpandare, beams with pride.

“This shows our players’ hard work and dedication. We’re excited to see them shine. We knew that the Eswatini boys are good; they will represent their national team. It is a plus for our team, considering we are coming from Division One, and already we have three players in the national team. We are happy with Navaya at the Zimbabwe national team.

It motivates other players when they realise that if they do well, they will also have a chance to be looked at by national team coaches. It also gives that extra push to do well so that when we get to the September international window, they will be considered for the national team.

We have quite a number of good players, and we think that if they play well, they can be called for national duty. We wish them well as they represent their countries. We hope next time more players will have the opportunity to be called up for national team duties,” said Mpandare.

Meanwhile, Hardrock is assembling a ladies’ team, Hardrock Queens, set to play in the Central Region Soccer League Women Division One League.

The club appointed the technical team led by Choice Dambuza, head coach, Tarisai Govere, team manager and Cheneso Jack, fitness trainer.

Mpandare was pleased with the progress achieved over the weekend in preparation for their debut in the Central Region Division One.

“We gave coaches the opportunity to select players through trials, with an emphasis more on Midlands Province-based players because we want to show that when we play in Kwekwe, we want to represent Kwekwe and the province. The bulk of players should come from the Midlands.

We can’t be like any other team, like teams in Harare who acquire players across the country. We will get players from other regions, but the bulk is from Kwekwe. They will be playing in Central Region Division One, but you never know, if we are lucky, we will get promoted. It’s our first, so we will see how it goes.

We are there to learn, and these are new players who need to gel. For now, we want to secure our position in Division One.”

The club is delighted with its new top-of-the-range bus, which is a third luxurious bus. A fourth one is on its way.

“As chairman of Hardrock, I am very happy with the support I get from the club president, Shepherd Chahwanda. I cannot ask for more, especially with the coming in of such a luxurious bus.

That will motivate and attract a lot of players to be associated with Hardrock. We have a top-of-the-range bus that has just arrived, but remember we had two buses already.

We had the one bus, which was used by the senior team, will now be used by the women’s team. Besides that, we have another bus that is coming, which was bought sometime last year, and it’s on the way to make it four buses that will be enough for the senior team, U19 and an extra bus for the other junior team to come.

I am impressed, and the bus is very luxurious. Top teams in the world use that type of bus,” said Mpandare.