adminBothwell Mahlengwe
OUR journey to the 2015 Nations Cup begins in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Sunday and one hopes it is a fruitful journey that will see us joining Africa’s football elites in Morocco. Ian Gorowa was “forced” to call in only six South Africa- based internationals due to injuries.
Of those six, two had still not reported for duty by the end of day on Tuesday.
Kingston Nkhatha, after playing a full game on Saturday for Kaizer Chiefs, and scoring, made a last-minute withdrawal citing “pain in one of his muscles.”
Willard Katsande hadn’t arrived by the end of day on Tuesday and no one knew about his whereabouts because he chose not to communicate.
To wake up and tell us that you are down with a terrible stomach bug is just naive and childish.
You had that bug and it incapacitated you?
It made you unable to communicate with the team manager about your whereabouts?
Come on Willard.
It is even very difficult for some of us to believe your excuse because it so happens that on the day the Warriors play Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, the Premier Soccer League in South Africa will be hosting the annual football awards.
You are a finalist for two awards, actually the top two awards – The PSL Footballer of the Season and PSL Players’ Player of the Season.
If the stomach bug was genuine, you would still have come home and reported to the Warriors camp to show commitment to the national team.
And given that the stomach bug problem is genuine, the coaches would have released you from camp and you would have been back in South Africa for the awards.
But not coming home suggests that the stomach bug is just a lame excuse.
Have a bit of respect for your fellow countrymen.
These incidents brought back memories of some incidents long back in Warriors camps. One was of a senior player who had his children in camp and the other was of players driving in their own posh cars to and from training sessions.
Like in the book Animal Farm, ‘All animals are equal but others are more equal than the others.” Is this not the same way these foreign-based players view themselves?
I want to believe Katsande has his reasons but whatever they are if I was the coach he wouldn’t be in the plane to Dar or even take part in this campaign.
He has had a splendid season in South Africa but that doesn’t give him a reason to hold the coach, the team and the nation at ransom.
It would set a big example that no one gets special treatment when it comes to national duty. What’s so special about Katsande that he doesn’t report for duty on time when a senior player and a league championship winner, Cuthbert Malajila, does?
Just imagine the rotten and divisive attitude he brings to the team if he is allowed to get his way. I have seen such behaviour destroying teams that on paper would have potential – the likes of Cameroon and Nigeria. I have seen it destroy our Warriors when there were feuds between Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Maruwaru.
Albert Einstein once observed: “Only those who devote themselves to a cause with their whole strength and soul can be true masters. For this reason, mastery demands all of a person.” We know what Willard will bring to the team.
But what’s important is his attitude towards a goal, the Zimbabwean goal, to qualify for the 2015 Nations Cup.
If he can’t respect camping time then he hasn’t devoted his whole strength and soul to the cause. Regrettably, for this moment, he doesn’t deserve to wear the Warriors jersey.
Willard’s attitude is unacceptable.
Robin Sharma summed it up well when he said, “who you associate with dramatically influences the way you behave and how excellently you perform.”
Let’s not allow him to associate with our fully committed Warriors otherwise his attitude will rub off and we end up singing the same old song.
Let’s give these local guys a chance. I believe in them. In fact, I do not see much difference between the local players and these internationals.
Our last game in Egypt is a case in point.
Just look at how well the locals fared in that game and how the foreign-based let us down save for Knowledge Musona.
All that the locals need is to believe in themselves and work as a team the same way they did at CHAN.
Experience shows that it’s not the most gifted players who become champions – the most focused, practiced, dedicated, devoted, disciplined and passionate do.
All these foreign-based players were once ordinary local-based players like you. It’s not like they were born playing in foreign lands. This is your chance to showcase your talent, the chance you have always savoured.
So go out there and make us proud.
I know you will.
If I am to make changes to the team that did duty at the CHAN tournament my changes would be upfront where Malajila and Ndoro would come in.
It’s comforting that they have shown all the qualities I have mentioned above to be champions. I have always admired Malajila’s work ethic.
He might not be the most gifted striker around but you are assured of 110% effort all the time. I can safely say the same for Ndoro.
As for Kingston, I hope your injury is genuine. If not, I have a question for you. Is this the way you repay a nation that has stood by you and supported you when the Kaizer Chiefs boo-boys jeered you?
We might not have been there physically but spiritually we were there by your side praying to God that He gives you strength to carry on in those difficult times.
And He did.
And now this?
◆ Bothwell Mahlengwe is a banker and former Premiership footballer and can be reached, for feedback, on – [email protected]
Online Reporter