adminThe Amazulu goalminder said it was always good to blend experienced and youthful players.
“I have absolutely nothing against throwing in younger players into the national team but my worry is letting them go away to war without anyone experienced to guide them,” said Kapini.
“Africa is such an ugly jungle that needs you to have some players that have seen it all before when you go for away matches.
“You cannot just push a group of youngsters and expect them to come out alive,”
He believes Pagels should have drafted in, at least, two experienced players.
“Back in the days when I arrived in the senior national team some 10 years ago we had senior players like Kaitano Tembo guiding us and they are the people that most of us learnt from,” said Kapini.
“Without anyone senior who are these younger guys in the current national team going to learn from? The reality is that they can never be able to do it all alone especially when they go to away games here in Africa.
“For me it would have made sense if they took at least two to three senior players to guide the younger guys . . . someone like Tinashe (Nengomasha) would make a huge difference in that team. From what I have been told and seen that game against Egypt was winnable, especially if there were at least some senior players who understand how such games can be won.
“I am not only talking about myself here but I mean how does a guy like Cuthbert Malajila get ignored by his national team when he is doing so well at his club?”
Kapini said even though he has some reservations about the way things are being handled, he will continue supporting the team.
“If senior players will not be part of the plan going forward then they must just say it as it is so that we forget about the national team and focus on clubs,” said Kapini.
“I have heard that there are people who are saying we (senior players) never achieved anything with the national team but aren’t we the very same players who went to the Nations Cup finals twice?
“Isn’t this the kind of experience that would make a huge difference and that should be put into good use by our national team just like how other countries are doing?”
Meanwhile, Kapini’s teammate Ramson Zhuwawo is headed for the exit door at AmaZulu when his contract expires in June after battling to break into the team since Craig
Rosslee took over as head coach at the end of November last year.
Zhuwawo has not played even a single minute in all 13 games that AmaZulu have played since Rosslee took over with the 29 year-old literally frozen out of the team. — CAJ News.
Online Reporter