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THE country’s Under-23 national football team face South Africa this afternoon at Rufaro Stadium in Harare and coach Kallisto Pasuwa has selected the “cream” to ensure the job is done effectively.
However, one of the big questions is, “why do coaches rely on widely known talent at the expense of plucking the hidden gems” in lower leagues.
Pasuwa has selected the likes of Wisdom Mutasa and Walter Musona of FC Platinum, Kuda Mahachi who plays for South African side Mamelodi Sundowns, Highlanders’ in-form striker, Knox Mutizwa, Dynamos’ Tatenda Mukuruva and Raphael Kutinyu who plays in the midfield of log leaders, Chicken Inn.
He had also sent an SOS for Marvelous Nakamba of Dutch Eredivise side Vitesse, but the club refused to heed his distress call and refused to release the player.
Football pundits interviewed by Sunday Leisure Sport feel the country would benefit a lot through scouting from Division One teams and academies as there was young talent that could be unearthed there.
Benedict “Grinder’’ Moyo, a member of Zifa’s High Performance Technical Committee and former Mighty Warriors coach, said pressure to deliver was the reason why coaches stuck to the “usual’’ players, but pointed out that a developmental approach would give the coaches the mandate to not just win games but also groom players.
“The coaches should go deeper and not just rely on PSL teams to provide arsenal for their national team squads because I believe there are a lot of talented youngsters who can grace the junior national teams but because they do not play in the Premiership they are overlooked,’’ said Moyo.
“The coach should mix those with PSL experience and those from lower divisions and I believe it can have a big impact on our soccer as we discover more talent.
“While the Premiership is the flagship league and should have the best of players I think there are other younger players who can be developed, unfortunately we are fixated on immediate results.”
Moyo noted that Zambia and South Africa were focusing more on development than winning at the junior stages as they roped in younger, inexperienced players from lower leagues.
He said young players plying their trade abroad in the lower leagues should also be given an opportunity to shine for their country, while also urging coaches to use High Performance Technical Centre gurus to identify talented young players.
Another soccer guru who declined to be named said it was critical to have youngsters from the lower divisions.
“I have seen a lot of talented players in the lower divisions who I feel can make it with the national team and I believe there is no reason for the technical department to cry when some clubs refuse to release their players but instead should opt for youngsters in lower leagues.
“I think the coach has pressure to come up with wins but again I feel there is a certain hidden hand that is having a bearing on national team selections. I feel there could be influences of agents as they sway the coaches to pick certain footballers whom they want to gain national caps.
“Sometimes the coach selects a player who is not even playing for his club but is expected to do wonders at national team level,” he said.
Zimbabwe Soccer Coaches Association president Bheki Nyoni, however, felt lower divisions, particularly Division One was full of older players and the coach could not look there.
He said the PSL’s move to force teams to have five Under-20 players was commendable and had ensured there was a pool of experienced Under-23 players now doing duty for the nation.
“I think maybe Division Two teams and academies can provide some players but another critical problem the coaches are faced with is lack of resources to travel throughout the country and watch the lower leagues teams playing.
“He should be able to travel to Bulawayo for a Southern Region Division One match but with the way Zifa is being run he is unable to. As a country we have been lucky in our recent winnings because we have not done much to prepare well for the games. We are just going to play without giving the teams enough time and resources to get ready for the games,” said Nyoni.
Online Reporter