Nkatha riles Gorowa

Petros Kausiyo and Eddie Chikamhi—
WARRIORS coach Ian Gorowa has expressed disappointment with the conduct of the Kaizer Chiefs pair of midfielder Willard Katsande and striker Kingston Nkatha, who were conspicuous by their absence from camp, as the senior team yesterday began preparations for their African Cup of Nations clash against Tanzania.

The Warriors got together on Monday for the first time since their African Nations Championships participation in South Africa in February with Gorowa’s men now shifting their attention to their bid for qualification at the 2015 Nations Cup in Morocco.

Zimbabwe will face Tanzania in a first round, first leg qualifier at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Sunday.

But two of only six South Africa-based professionals to have been included in the 22-man squad — Katsande and Nkatha —did not take part in the first day’s training session at Gateway High School in Harare and it is the reasons for their absence which left Gorowa a disappointed man.

Katsande, who has had an outstanding season for Chiefs, had reportedly told the coach and team manager Sharrif Mussa that he would drive his way from Johannesburg after club commitments last weekend and would arrive in Harare in time for camp on Monday night.

But the gritty midfielder, who is in the running for the South African Footballer of the Season award, was nowhere in sight with both Gorowa and Mussa indicating that they had been battling to contact the former Ajax Cape Town and Gunners man for an update, casting a doubt over his availability for the trip to Dar es Salaam.

Nkatha, who scored one of Chiefs’ goals and played the full game as Amakhosi romped to a 3-0 win over AmaZulu in their final game of the 2013-14 season, is also understood to have made an 11th hour withdrawal from the squad citing pain in one of his muscles.

But the excuse did not convince Gorowa who had been expecting the striker to report for duty and undergo checks by the Warriors medical crew.

“It is unfortunate that when we agree that everyone has to be in camp at a given time you get someone still to report and right now we don’t know what the latest with Willard is,” said Gorowa.

“The team manager has been trying to get hold of him. He could have driven over the weekend, talk to me and ask for rest if he felt tired to train on the first day  because we understand it when players have had a long season but he has not communicated with anyone and that is not good for discipline.

“I had been talking to Kingston all along but he only indicated at the last minute that he cannot come to camp because of some pain in one his muscles . . . you cannot force a player to play for his national team, he must feel it himself, it’s all about an individual’s commitment so we will not cry over that, it just opens the window for other players to come in and do the job.

“I have noticed that players tend to change their commitment to their national team when they go and play in foreign leagues and that is why I have always said the future of our squad really lies in these local boys.”

The Warriors coach was further disappointed at having to lose Ajax Cape Town forward Simbarashe Sithole who had to be helped off the pitch during training with a suspected torn muscle and is virtually out of the showdown with the Taifa Stars.

Sithole appeared in great pain and Gorowa described the injury as “a setback’’.

“It’s bad. It’s also a setback. It’s always difficult this time of the year. Sometimes when your club is not actually vying for anything I think the intensity of training goes down,” said Gorowa.

Sithole’s injury and Nkatha’s last minute withdrawal left the Warriors attack with two natural strikers — Cuthbert Malajila and Tendai Ndoro — forcing the coach to draft in How Mine’s Kuda Musharu.

Bantu Rovers midfielder Nqobizitha Masuku was also dropped after it was established that he was carrying a knock.

Gorowa also called up CAPS United defender Stephen Makatuka, whom he would want to have a closer look at during training, with the possibility that the tall centre back might just gatecrash into the party for Dar es Salaam.

But away from the Katsande and Nkatha absence and the injury blow for Sithole, the rest of the Warriors were in high spirits as Gorowa and his lieutenants — Callisto Pasuwa, Richard Tswatswa and Gift Muzadzi — took them through their paces and the former Moroka Swallows coach was satisfied the opening day’s work.

Gorowa also revealed that he had been keen to make his own assessment of Al Ahly Benghazi striker Edward Sadomba and Belgian-based midfielder Ovidy Karuru.

Big AmaZulu defender Carlington Nyadombo and talented forwards Khama Billiat and Knowledge Musona are also missing because of injuries.

“Sadomba, with his experience in Africa, I think is one player who has been overlooked. He has so much experience in Africa and I think we could have done well with him.

“We had Ovidy Karuru whom will also wanted to have a look at. The others were injured but those two for me were very critical together with Carlington Nyadombo whom I think we will sorely miss but is injured and can’t play this first leg. Again we have to fall back on our local guys who did well at the CHAN.

“That’s the advantage we have. Most of the players played well at CHAN and I think they will pick up from where they left.
“I think I am not in a position to say this (Fifa’s decision) was okay or not but I think we have to worry about ourselves as a nation to say do we have enough players who can compete regardless of who is there or who is not there.

“So if you ask me that question I think we have the players who can compete. So we will give the local players that we have a chance and also we are playing away from home first. Maybe, when we play the second leg all those players will be available so if there’s anything that could have happened (we may consider them) but I don’t think so. I think we are going to Tanzania to get a result,” said Gorowa.

However, Gorowa said he was particularly mindful of the challenge they expect to face against the Taifa Stars, who held them to a goalless draw late last year when they were preparing for the CHAN finals.

“We played Tanzania last year and we drew 0-0. Obviously we were trying to prepare for the CHAN tournament with only local based players and you could see it’s (Tanzania) is a very good team.

“So we are not taking them lightly. I think it’s going to be a difficult game. What could be an advantage is that we are playing away from home first. Let’s see what comes out from Tanzania and then we come home and hopefully get the result’’.

Gorowa said it was unfortunate they had to go through the preliminary rounds which left little room for a slip-up.

“It’s something which is not of our making but I think as a nation we were on the downward spiral and I wouldn’t want to say we are paying for that.

“Maybe we are paying for that because if we were in the top 20, I am sure we could have been one of the teams seeded in one of the groups.
“So it’s unfortunate we have to try and rectify that and we have to play four games which are very important. It’s difficult but hopefully the players will be focused so that we have to win all the ties and get to the group stage.

“I said in the plan that I gave to Zifa that we have three phases. The first phase is to pass through Tanzania and the winner between Mozambique and South Sudan. Phase two is to play in the group stages and then phase three is to go to Morocco.

“Hopefully, we will be able to do that. I have confidence with the players, confidence in what we can do and we will be able to qualify for Morocco. But I think it’s easier said than done,” said Gorowa.