adminGrace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
YOUNG Warriors coach, Callisto Pasuwa, had to strike a compromise with Premiership coaches as the club-versus-country row threatened the national Under-23 All-Africa Games qualifying match in Yaounde, Cameroon, this Sunday.The former Dynamos mentor ended up getting, at least, a player from each club and was now focusing on the crucial match with the material at his disposal which saw him managing a full training session on Tuesday afternoon as well as a double session yesterday.
A team of 18 players is in camp and is expected to leave tomorrow for West Africa.
The coach will not have the luxury of dropping anyone and will be hoping none of the players pick an injury at training.
Players such as the Highlanders duo of Thomas Chidewu and Teenage Hadebe, FC Platinum Walter Musona, who initially had been in the coaches’ plans but were not released by their clubs, will not be on national duty this weekend.
Instead of continuing to mourn for players, who would not be released by the clubs with so much pressure on the coaches to deliver, Pasuwa ended up striking a deal with the clubs to, at least, just assemble a team of 18 players.
“I personally phoned Highlanders and they gave me Masuku (Nqobizitha) and said they cannot release Teenage Hadebe and Thomas Chidewu,” said Pasuwa.
“Then at FC Platinum, they gave me Wisdom Mutasa and I also got Marshall Mudehwe who has not been playing and is eligible and I have worked with him before.
“I understand the pressure these clubs are going through and I am glad I finally managed to get 18 players in camp and I am not looking forward to get more players or expect any player to join us before our departure.
“I am working with these players and they will do duty for us. We wanted to go with a much stronger side and some of the players who played in the first leg.
“If you look at a player like Hadebe, he is a player whom we would have loved to be in the team as he played a blinder in the first match.”
Pasuwa said the challenges that they faced this week were part of the game.
“We would have liked to have the best of our players facing Cameroon but everybody else is under pressure,” said Pasuwa.
“At the end of the day we came up with a consensus and we managed to come up with a team. Dynamos have provided the bulk of the team and they have been very supportive.
“Our mind is focused on the game now and with the players at my disposal the only thing left is to motivate them. We have told them that this is a great chance for them and this is how new stars are born.”
The coach said there was an outside chance Mamelodi Sundowns Kuda Mahachi might be released if ZIFA strike a deal with the Pretoria side.
Mahachi is not featuring in the first team for his club and has expressed his willingness to feature in the qualifiers for his country.
Squad
Tatenda Mukuruva, Carlos Rusere, Blessing Moyo (Dynamos) Wisdom Mutasa, Marshall Mudehwe (FC Platinum), Lawrence Mhlanga (Chicken Inn), Nqobizitha Masuku (Highlanders), Jimmy Konono, Livingstone Genti ( Hwahwa), Munyaradzi Diro Nyenye (Harare City), Praise Tonha, Malvern Gaki (Triangle), Gerald Takwara (Tsholotsho), Mgcini Sibanda (How Mine), Ronald Pfumbidzai (CAPS United), Pritchard Mpelele, Takava Mawaya (Hwange), Liberty Chakoroma (Buffaloes).
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