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Harare Bureau
KAIZER Chiefs hardman, Willard Katsande has been appointed the Warriors’ skipper for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Malawi on Saturday.
The former Gunners midfielder is one of the foreign-based players who were at Rufaro Stadium yesterday as Zimbabwe got their preparations underway for the Group L tie in Blantyre.
Katsande was voted the Kaizer Chiefs player of the 2014/2015 season after helping Amakhosi win the South African Premiership.
Zimbabwe coach Callisto Pasuwa, who is racing against time to prepare his squad after he delayed calling the players as he haggled with Zifa over his contract, pointed out that he will settle for the midfield enforcer to lead the team on the field.
Danny Phiri of Chicken Inn was the skipper at the Cosafa Senior Challenge in South Africa last month while Wisdom Mutasa, led the Under-23 team in recent matches.
“I was waiting for the other coaches in the team to come so that maybe we can have our captain of the day.
“But we had prior discussions and we thought Katsande should take the armband,” said Pasuwa.
It had to take the intervention of the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Andrew Langa to get Pasuwa to agree to lead the Warriors after he had reached a stalemate with the Zifa Board.
Pasuwa and Hwange’s Nation Dube were the only coaches at training while Saul Chaminuka, team manager Sharif Mussa and goalkeepers’ coach Richard Tswatswa did not attend.
The team even trained without a physiotherapist or team doctor amid concerns that Zifa has not offered them contracts.
Pasuwa also expressed his strong disapproval over the way Zifa have been handling the national teams’ preparations ahead of important assignments.
Pasuwa, who is the coach of the senior team and the Under-23 side, has been going through hell in assembling his squads to play in the international matches as Zifa does not provide adequate resources.
The former Dynamos coach delayed naming the squad to face Malawi following a stand-off with the Zifa board over his contract and outstanding salaries.
Minister Langa intervened to convince Pasuwa to lead the national team.
But it was not all rosy for the former Dynamos coach as he and his players endured the agony of being locked out of Rufaro Stadium because Zifa had not paid for using the facility.
The Warriors’ morning session was supposed to start at 10AM but the team only got access to the field after 11AM as Harare City Council workers insisted on proof of payment.
Player agent Gibson Mahachi then undertook to pay the $92 to hire Rufaro Stadium for a two-hour training session before the Warriors were allowed in.
It is also understood that Zifa struggled to secure transport to ferry the national team players from their hotel until Herentals College availed one of their school buses.
“I’ve been preaching nearly every day that it’s the preparations that should be adequate. The preparations count most and if we prepare well, then we’ve a chance of getting good results,” said Pasuwa.
He said Zifa should not expect positive results from national teams if the teams do not train adequately.
“We’re saying we’re going out again to get a result without proper preparations, it’s bad for Zimbabwean football,” he said.
Pasuwa had a nightmarish travel for his away international assignments with the Young Warriors in Morocco, Cameroon and Swaziland, but to his credit the coach managed to get positive results.
Zimbabwe’s preparations are in sharp contrast to Malawi who played Egypt and lost 2-1 in a friendly match on Monday.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Tatenda Mukuruva (Dynamos), Donovan Bernard (How Mine)
Defenders: Blessing Moyo (Dynamos), Ronald Pfumbidzai (Caps United), Justice Jangano (Gunners), Teenage Hadebe (Highlanders), Patson Jaure (University of Pretoria, South Africa), Eric Chipeta (Chippa United, South Africa)
Midfielders: Willard Katsande (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Wisdom Mutasa (FC Platinum), Kuda Mahachi and Khama Billiat (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn), Gerald Takwara (Tsholotsho), Marvelous Nakamba (Vitesse, Netherlands)
Strikers: Cuthbert Malajila, (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa, Knowledge Musona (KV Oostende)
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