Warriors selection queried

Donovan Bernard

SEVEN local based players were yesterday named in the 23-member Warriors squad that is set to represent the country in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and South Africa.

Zimbabwe will be under an interim technical team that includes head coach, Jairos Tapera, his assistants Takesure Chiragwi and Saul Chaminuka.

Veteran and record breaking gaffer, Sunday Chidzambwa is the technical advisor.

It was after a long wait that this football loving nation got to know the identity of players who will carry the country’s hopes in the two pending international matches.

Zimbabwe will play host to Lesotho in Johannesburg on June 7 before taking on Bafana Bafana in Free State on June 11.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) banned Zimbabwe’s national soccer teams from using all local stadia for international matches in 2019.

Chicken Inn, Manica Diamonds and Dynamos goalkeepers Donovan Bernard, Godfrey Chitsumba and Martin Mapisa respectively, made it into the team alongside Highlanders defender, Andrew Mbeba, CAPS United defender Godknows Murwira and Simba Bhora duo of Walter Musona and Tymon Machope.

There was no room for top goalscorer, Lynoth Chikuhwa, his Bosso defence pillar Peter Muduhwa and rising Never Rauzhi of Bulawayo Chiefs nor Chicken Inn’s marauding Michael Charamba.

It is a development that has worried ex-Warriors and Highlanders striker, Zenzo Moyo who said there was also a need for the coaches to show confidence in the local league.

“If you are a local coach, at times you should get a couple of players from your club to the national team. The fact that the coach (Jairos Tapera) only has one from his club (Manica Diamonds) shows that he has no confidence in the local league. I’m certain that Chitsumba will not play. Only seven local based players were called for the two games, which confirms lack of confidence in the local based players. I wonder when the coaches watched the bulk of foreign based players they called up,” said Moyo, a yesteryear striker who once had successful playing stints in Cyprus and Botswana.

He however said Zimbabwe was likely to beat both Lesotho and South Africa because the country has talented players that can rise to the occasion.

Bulawayo Chiefs head coach, Thulani Sibanda also decried why the door was shut on the bulk of local based players.

“I personally advocate that in the national team we should have an age group. I seriously have a problem with not having that. Yes, Godknows Murwira is a local based player but with his age, what is he doing there? We need national team players to develop and go and play in other leagues. A lot of young local based players were needed there. A bulk of those Europe based players lack patriotism and commitment.

“They don’t usually play for the Warriors badge as they seem to treat the country as if it is a charity case. Having more players like Daniel Msendami and Andrew Mbeba would have shown their will to improve the national team because those boys are assets. Local is lekker, the great Peter Ndlovu was groomed by Ali “Baba” Dube and he was coachable by any coach in Europe. Those boys who were groomed in Europe will always come here to grade our local coaches. We seriously need to deal with that situation,” said Sibanda.

Contacted for a comment Tapera, who is in charge of red-hot Manica Diamonds, said in coming up with the squad, they set down as the entire technical team and worked around the teams that their predecessors Baltemar Brito and Norman Mapeza had.

“We actually put our heads together as a technical team and we think we came out with a very balanced team. We respect what Brito and Mapeza did and in that regard our squad has the bulk of players that the two coaches called up. I think we came out with a strong team that can have a strong challenge in South Africa. We did this for the nation, it’s not a technical team’s squad, it’s a team for the nation,” said Tapera.

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 Mecheleen), 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)-@FungaiMuderere