adminbattle in the 2011 edition of the Metropolitan Cosafa tournament in Gaborone next week.
The annual youth tournament will burst into life in Gaborone on December 1 and will run until December 11.
Mangwiro, who has an enlarged 34-man squad in camp, said yesterday he was under no illusions about the opposition that the Young Warriors will face in their bid for honours at the tournament.
The Young Warriors who are in Group D which includes Namibia, Madagascar and Angola will begin their campaign with a date against the Namibians.
Although Zimbabwe have always been rated among the favourites in the regional youth competitions, Namibia were a surprise package last year.
They defeated South Africa on their way to reaching the final for the first time before falling to eventual winners Zambia. Mangwiro, speaking after his charges wound-up their morning training at Rufaro said all the teams in Group D had done well to reach the semi-final stage last year which meant that they deserved to be respected ahead of the start of this year’s tournament. The Monomotapa coach said he would trim his squad to 20 shortly before departure for the tournament.
Zifa are, however, still to advise the Young Warriors on the exact date they would be leaving for Botswana although Mangwiro and his charges would need to be in Gaborone in time for the opening ceremony that will precede the Match Day One fixtures on December 1.
But after watching all his players heed the call to camp, Mangwiro chose to focus more on their preparations which got underway at Rufaro on Tuesday and revealed that they would continue to train twice a day.
“Things are beginning to take shape now. Initially we had called in 30 players and then we invited four more. Unfortunately one of the three goalkeepers we had called in, Chang Marion, of CAPS United does not have a passport.
“We will assess the players so that we come up with the final 20 that will travel to Gaborone. We have come up with a programme that take us to the first game but our only friendly match before the tournament will be against Division One side Highfield United on Saturday,” Mangwiro said.
Mangwiro said he was also happy to have some of the layers who managed a third-place finish back in the side which he felt will help some of the new boys in the squad to settle down.
“From last year’s team we have about eight players who are still with us, the likes of Kuda Mahachi, Willard Kalongoda, Morris Kadzola and Nqobizitha Masuku.
“We also have about five of the players who are still going to school. We need to have players who have some form pf experience about thee tournaments because it will help us as they will guide the new youngsters who are just coming in or going there for the first time but have the potential to become very influential member s of the team,” Mangwiro said.
Mangwiro said although their aim was to reclaim the trophy they last won in 2007 when Warriors internationals – Ovidy Karuru and Knowledge Musona – formed the core of the Young Warriors, he was aware that it would be another tough time in Gaborone.
“It is not going to be easy because Namibia lost to Zambia in the final and Madagascar we beat them in the third place play-off.
“Namibia also recently won the Under-19 tournament in Cape Town and we are meeting them first.
“So if we can win the first game I think we will grow in confidence,” Mangwiro said.
The former Masvingo United mentor also spoke highly of the Fifa coaching clinic he attended in Gaborone last week and described it as “very educative and critical for development.”
Online Reporter