Online Reporter
MANAGER Henrik Pedersen has said competition for places is the only reason why Zimbabwean midfielder Marvelous Nakamba is still waiting to get his Sheffield Wednesday career off the ground.
The midfield enforcer, who is set to represent Zimbabwe during the upcoming international football break, has made just two appearances for the Owls since joining the English Championship club on transfer dead-line day last month.
After his contract at Luton Town was terminated, Zimbabwe skipper, Nakamba joined Wednesday on a short-term deal, signing for the remainder of the season.
He strengthened the Owls’ numbers in midfield following the departure of Barry Bannan.
Despite making his debut at the first available opportunity, coming off the bench against Swansea City to store almost half an hour under his belt, the former Aston Villa man has featured just once since then.
For the fourth time in the last five games, Nakamba, who stepped off the bench in the dying stages against Ipswich Town at Hillsborough just over a week ago, was an unused substitute in Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat to Hull City on Saturday.
Pedersen then named an unchanged team for the clash with the Tigers, meaning Jarvis Thornton, Jaden Heskey and Svante Ingelsson started in midfield.
And the Owls boss has insisted it is simply the form of the aforementioned trio that is stopping Nakamba from getting a look in at this moment in time.
“There has been a big competition (for places),” Pedersen told The Star. “Svante, he has been one of our absolute best players.
“Jaden has been very strong. Jarvis, as a young guy, he has also been strong. So, it has been difficult for him.
“But Marv is a fantastic guy, and he has trained really well, and he tries to do all the right things. I’m sure there will also be more playing time for him.”
Wednesday will resume their campaign on the other side of the international break with a Good Friday trip to the bet365 Stadium to face Stoke City.
That will mark their first of seven games between now and the finish line.
But before he can look to resume his fight for a regular place at Wednesday, Nakamba will for the next week do battle for the pride of his motherland.
Nakamba will lead the Warriors at the Mukuru Four-Nations tournament at Obed Itani Chilume stadium in Francistown, Botswana.
His Warriors were yesterday drawn to face the hosts Botswana in a later game on March 28, with Kalisto Pasuwa’s Malawi dating Zambia in the first of the double header scheduled for the same venue. — thestar.co.uk
