Mapeza to pick Asiagate players

fixing allegations, for the make-or-break 2012 African Nations Cup qualifier at the National Sports Stadium on June 5.
On Wednesday detectives interviewed three players certain to make Mapeza’s squad – Washington Arubi, Guthrie Zhokinyi and David Kutyauripo – as part of investigations into the Asiagate scandal.
Police are likely to interview more players in the coming weeks and concern has risen that some of them might be weighed down by the burden brought about by the investigations ahead of the game.
Mapeza said it was imperative that the players should get professional counseling, so that they remain focused on the game, and he will select his best possible squad.
Today Mapeza and his technical team are scheduled to meet and map their plans in preparations for the game against Mali.
Mapeza said he will use that meeting to find the best possible ways of helping the players who have been walking in the shadow of Asiagate since the scandal broke last year.
“It’s certain that we need some of those players in the team.
“This is a crucial game and we should have key players but in a scenario that they are picked up by the police, then we have to help them.
“I think one way will be to find a capable psychologist to work with the players so that they remain focused on the game,” said Mapeza.
Mapeza and his lieutenants are working on a provisional list for the game.
Zimbabwe need nothing short of a victory to keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the 2012 finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon
The Warriors lost 0-1 in the away tie in Bamako on March 26 with reports filtering through that some players were not mentally focussed on the game after being told that police wanted to interview them.
Zhokinyi and Arubi travelled to Bamako for the game while Kutyauripo was dropped at the last minute following complications over his passport.
Its understood that the police are keen to record statements from Daniel Veremu and the trio of skipper Method Mwanjali, Lionel Mtizwa and Nyasha Mushekwi who are based in South Africa.
“I have to be cautious with issues dealing with the police.
“But what I know for certain is that it will be difficult to play after one has been picked up by the police.
“It will not be easy to remain focused but at the end of the day we still need some of those players in the team.
“Maybe we have to sit down as a technical team, including the team doctors, and see the best help we can give to the players.
“We should get the best professionals to help our guys.
“Tomorrow (today) we will sit down and see what help we can give in such a scenario.
“We should not just pick on any psychologist but one who understands the importance of the match and the situation that the players find themselves in,” said Mapeza.
Fifa have also launched their investigations into match-fixing and the world football body, which believes more than 300 matches on three continents were compromised, wants to complete its probe within a month.
Fifa face a big congress at the beginning of next month where the issues of match-fixing and corruption charges levelled against its executive members are likely to be central in the elections.
Sepp Blatter faces a tough battle against Bin Hammam for the Fifa presidency.
Fifa this week donated US$29 million, to be paid over 10 years, to Interpol to help fight illegal gambling and match-fixing.
Fifa have picked Singapore as the centre for its operation to battle match fixing.
According to the Asian Football Federation website, the unit will be housed within the agency’s Singapore based Global Complex, which will be ready in 2013.
Interpol will be responsible for training players, officials and referees to identify attempts to fix matches.
Warriors’ team manager Shariff Mussa believes the timing of the investigations could psychologically affect some of the players.
“I hope that the players will remain focused and would not see the policemen doing their job being an obstacle towards getting a positive result.
“The police are professionals and I trust that the players targeted are also professionals.
“Police are keen to get to the bottom of the findings but we do not have control over them,” said Mussa.
Singapore national Raj Perumal, who has been fingered Zifa as the key man to the Asiagate scandal, is languishing in prison in Finland facing charges related to match-fixing and immigration violations.