adminVelaphi, whose father was born at Seula village in Matobo District, Matabeleland South, and mother is of Japanese origin plays for a crack Australian side Melbourne Victory in that country’s top A-League and they presently lie third on the log standing after 15 matches.
He has on previous occasions represented that country at Under-20 and Under-23 where he was their first choice shot-stopper for many years until he became a senior player.
“The boy was recently called up for a senior national team assignment against Oman in a World Cup qualifier in March but turned down the offer saying he wants to play for his native country. He knows that once he dons the Australian senior national team jersey, his dream of playing for the Warriors will all be but over,” said a Zimbabwean based in that country Oscar Ncube, who is also an A-League accredited referee.
Fifa statutes do not bar a player who has played for junior national teams to choose another nationality but at senior level, one cannot represent two nationalities, even at different times.
Ncube said Velaphi remained modest about his native background as shown by his refusal to play for the senior Australian team that was on the virtue of qualifying for the biggest football showcase on earth, the Fifa World Cup that will be held in Brazil next year.
The Socceroos, as the Australian national soccer team are known, are ranked third on the Asian continent behind continental giants Japan and Korea Republic and an impressive 36th on the world standings.
They are eyeing a fourth World Cup and second on the trot appearance, having first qualified in 1974. Their second appearance was in 2006 and the third was in 2010 in South Africa.
The 26-year-old Velaphi made his senior club debut in that league during the 2006/7 season, turning out for Perth SC where he made 12 appearances and the following year was snapped up by another well followed side Brisbane. He made only one appearance after suffering an injury in his debut match but his exploits were already known, leading to an agreement with Perth Glory where he commanded a first team jersey for three years, making 74 appearances in the process.
In 2011 he was on the move again after agreeing personal terms with Melbourne Victory who gave him a two-year contract. He made his debut for Melbourne Victory in an AFC Champions League match against China’s Tianjin Teda that ended one-apiece on 5 April 2011.
His club career did not go unnoticed as he was called up to the national Under-20 squad that participated in the Asian Football Confederation Youth Championships and after that he graduated to the Under-23s in 2008 and was part of the Australian Olympic team that went to the Beijing Olympics.
In the Under-23s he competed for the first team jersey with the Barclays Premiership League Reading’s assistant goalkeeper Adam Federici.
An excited Zifa board member competitions, Benedict Moyo immediately asked for the boy’s contact details when informed about the possibility of another warrior in foreign land.
Online Reporter