Pagels drafts Rusike for Rusike

face the Pharaohs in a World Cup African Zone Group G qualifier in Alexandria on March 29.
Zimbabwe are hoping to secure their first win and revive a campaign that went horribly off the rails in their opening two games in which they lost to Guinea (1-0) at the National Sports Stadium and drew 0-0 with Mozambique in Maputo.
But their interim coach Pagels insists he is on a rebuilding exercise and last week named an 18-man side of mainly rookies that appears too lightweight to face a Pharaohs’ team that is unbeaten in as many starts in the race for the final stage of the qualifiers for a place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Pagels had named former Zimbabwe youth international Matthew Rusike in his side but the ex-Monomotapa man suffered a groin injury during his clubs’ ABSA Premiership tie against Chippa United in Cape Town.
A scan later revealed that the injury was serious enough to sideline Matthew for a longer period.
Warriors team manager, Shariff Mussa, yesterday said he had spoken to the player after he had undergone a scan and confirmed that Matthew would still be on the sidelines by the time the senior national team arrive in Alexandria for their World Cup assignment.
“It is very unfortunate that he would now have to miss his country’s important assignment but as a replacement the coach has decided to call up Tafadzwa Rusike,’’ Mussa said.
Although Tafadzwa Rusike’s huge dip in form has been serious cause for concern for Ajax Cape Town coach Jan Versleijen, he has received the backing of Warriors gaffer Pagels.
Versleijen this week revealed that he was dropping Rusike after the former CAPS United started back-to-back matches against Bloemfontein Celtic and Mamelodi Sundowns but failed to impress and was substituted after the half hour mark in the first game and at the break in the second.
Tafadzwa then claimed to the South African media that his poor showing was down to lack of fitness due to an injury.
“His fitness is okay, it is no problem. The first game against Celtic he came in but I was not really impressed with his performance.
“Then he got a second chance against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup and in football you don’t get so many second chances. He did a little bit better and he actually should have scored.
“But then you have someone like Khama Billiat on the bench you have to try getting more quality on the field especially when it is 0-0,’’ Versleijen told Kick.com.
Pagels, however, said yesterday he was not worried about the problems Tafadzwa or any of his players might be having with their respective club coaches.
“For me I am not too worried about what club coaches think about a player because our approaches and our philosophies on what we see in a player are different.
“I have my own philosophy and I called up Tafadzwa because he did well in the last camp and I was impressed with him when he came on and I think he will suit what I am looking for,’’ Pagels said.