Mutasa stokes the flames

They arrived here after an energy-sapping 13-hour road trip that took them through Mozambique.

But Mutasa quickly stoked the flames saying his charges are neither on holiday nor buying into any attempt to downplay the significance of the regional duel.
High on Samaita’s priority list is the need to give the Warriors the much-needed competitive edge, build a winning mentality and expose the home-based players to the international game in preparation for the re-introduced Cosafa Castle Cup and Chan.

“As we have been saying, we are using this game to prepare for the Cosafa Cup which we really must defend.
“We are also preparing for the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers and we want to see if we can incorporate some of these youngsters in the squad that will face Egypt.

“It doesn’t matter that we are out of reckoning for the 2014 World Cup but it is in matches such as these (against Egypt and Guinea) where we can get the opportunity to gauge our progress in our rebuilding exercise for future international assignments,” said the former Warriors’ midfielder.

Mutasa was praying that his players recover, from the road trip, in time for tomorrow’s match after a long journey from Harare to Blantyre.
They left home at 4.30am and arrived here at 5.30pm going through Nyamapanda border, Mozambique and into Malawi.

He also said the absence of his boss, Pagels, will have no effect to the team’s performance but instead provide a litmus test to the team to see if the new philosophy he is bringing has rubbed onto the rest of the technical team which also includes the legendary Peter Ndlovu and goalkeeper’s trainer Nkululeko Dhlamini.

“The head coach might not be here physically but his ideas, the philosophy he is bringing into the team and all the positives he has brought to the Zimbabwean game are surely here with us.

“I have no doubt in my mind that he is also with us in spirit and will be supporting the boys. Most importantly this will be a test on us as coaches to see if we have managed to master what he has brought into the team,” he said.

The Warriors, coincidentally, will face the same opponent when they begin their defence for the regional Cosafa cup in neighbouring Zambia in July and Mutasa reckons it is also a chance to see the kind of challenge the Flames will pose in Zambia.

The Warriors, who are being captained by Highlanders midfielder Masimba Mambare, were warmly received by their hosts and are booked at a modest three-star Malawi Sun Hotel in central Blantyre.