Warriors midfielders, strikers analysis

MYSTERY surrounds the selection of poor-scoring forwards to do duty for the national team on Friday and next Tuesday in World Cup qualifiers.
The statistics for the men chosen to carry the nation’s hopes smack of the need to have a thorough and more transparent way of selecting national team players at all levels. National team call-ups have always been a contentious issue and some coaches and agents have been accused of using the platform to market their players ahead of transfer windows.

Zifa is under pressure to come up with a transparent policy on the way forward. Jairos Tapera announced four strikers for the assignments against Lesotho on Friday and South Africa on Tuesday. Zimpapers Sports Hub makes a numbers-based analysis and it should not surprise if the goals’ drought continues in the squad.

Called up are Tawanda Chirewa, Tinotenda Kadewere, Douglas Mapfumo and Tymon Machope.Machope plays in the Castle Lager Premiership for Simba Bhora while Mapfumo plays for unfashionable Polokwane City in South Africa, Chirewa is with Wolverthampton Wanderers in the UK while Kadewere is with Nantes on loan from Lyon in the elite French league.

None of the strikers has double figures or has scored more than locals whose league started in March and have played 12-14 games for their four/seven goals so far. It is the frequency or repeats that makes someone considered a lethal striker.

Tapera had the temerity to consider strikers who once scored at the expense of those like Never Rauzhi and Lynoth Chikuhwa who are scoring regularly. While the defence could be the some are playing in better leagues, strikers are paid to score and not to make up numbers as seems to be the case with the foreign-based brigade chosen for the two qualifiers.

Mapfumo played 21 league games for Polokwane and had returns of just three goals.Machope with 14 rounds of action played, has just three goals to his credit.How he was selected ahead of seven-goal hero, Lynoth Chikuhwa who has found his scoring form under Kelvin Kaindu, Agent Sawu, and Try Ncube; Caps United’s five-goal star William Manondo and Highlanders’ Brighton Ncube who has scored as many remains a mystery.

There is also last year’s top goal scorer left out. Takunda Benhura has scored four goals so far in a season his Ngezi Platinum did not have the best of starts.Chirewa must consider himself lucky to be part of the squad with just seven reserve team appearances that yielded five goals and cameo appearances for Wanderers in April where he became the sixth Zimbabwean to start a Premiership match in the UK.

The history, however, does not translate to brilliance in front of goal and the big-name star in the cast, Kadewere, scored one goal from 25 games for his side this past season.Going by the statistics, questions will be asked as to how these players are selected. Are those that are entrusted with the process from the national body, technical team if it is in place and coaches competent enough and in a position to serve the country with distinction?
Of the midfielders, Walter Musona has been on target five times for Simba Bhora this term, which is not even halfway.

Marshall Munetsi, a defensive linkman, has scored four goals and as many assists in 27 games for Stade de Reines in the French top division.
Sheffield Wednesday’s Joey Phuthi according to information at our disposal played two games last season with fellow midfielder Tivonge Rushesha making 11 appearances at Reading.

In terms of match fitness judged on the numbers, Jordan played 27 games for Udinese in Italy and scored one goal while Andy Rinomhota had 19 appearances for Cardiff City.

Tawanda Maswanhise struggled for a slot in the first team at Leicester City and will play for Stockport next season in the Championship League.
Dribbling wizard, Daniel Musendami had an outstanding season in the African Champions League with a goal and several man-of-the-match performances in the nine matches they played. In the Botswana League, he scored eight and is in the FA Cup final set for Francistown on June 15.

Meanwhile, Warriors international defender, Brendan Galloway will not feature in the next two World Cup Qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa after a recurrence of an injury and has had to undergo rehabilitation.The Warriors face Lesotho on Friday in Johannesburg before taking on South Africa on 11 June in Bloemfontein.

According to an update from the Zifa media team yesterday, all players had by yesterday reported for camp except Teenage Hadebe who will join camp this morning. “Jordan Zemura arrived in South Africa yesterday morning, Devine Lunga also checked in yesterday having taken part in the Nedbank Cup final in Nelspruit over the weekend.

Teenage Hadebe will join camp on Tuesday after asking to be excused so that he can sign a contract with his new club,” the Zifa media team announced. The Warriors held a team meeting yesterday before going on to conduct a light training session later in the day.Warriors Squad

Goalkeepers: Bernard Donovan (Chicken Inn), Martin Mapisa (Dynamos FC), Godfrey Chitsumba (Manica Diamonds)
Defenders: Gerald Takwara (Ohod FC), Teenage Hadebe (Konyaspor) Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle), Munashe Garananga (KV Mechelen), Andrew Mbeba (Highlanders), Godknows Murwira (Caps United), Shane Maroodza (Huddersfield), Devine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns)
Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi (Stade de Reims), Andy Rinomhota (Rotherham United), Jordan Zemura (Udinese), Walter Musona (Simba Bhora) Daniel Msendami (Jwaneng Galaxy), Tivonge Rushesha (Reading), Joey Phuthi (Sheffield Wednesday), Tawanda Maswanhise (Leicester City)
Forwards: Tinotenda Kadewere (FC Nantes), Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Douglas Mapfumo (Polokwane City) Tymon Machope (Simba Bhora).