Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) has given up efforts to persuade Khama Billiat to reconsider his decision to retire from international football, with the star midfielder now officially not part of plans for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Khama last month announced that he was calling time on his international career after a decade of representing his country.
There were hopes that the Kaizer Chiefs attacking midfielder could rethink his decision after Zifa announced that they would be engaging him.
It seems efforts to get the 31-year Billiat to come out of retirement have hit a brick wall.
Yesterday, Wellington Mpandare, the Zifa general-manager for national teams announced that Billiat is not available for a third consecutive appearance at the Afcon having been part of the Warriors for the 2017 and 2019 editions.
“Khama (Billiat) will not be available, we will respect his decision.
We want to thank him for the time he played for the national team, helping the team qualify for the Afcon three consecutive times in no mean achievement.
However, the door will remain open for future assignments,’’ Mpandare said.
Zimbabwe will no doubt miss Billiat, who played a huge role in the team’s qualification for next month’s tournaments.
His brace against Zambia in a 2-1 triumph for Zimbabwe at the National Heroes Stadium in Lusaka on 19 November 2019 proved crucial as the Warrior managed just more win, a 1-0 success over Botswana in March this year away to finish second behind Algeria and seal a place in Cameroon.
Billiat’s absence means Zimbabwe will be without five key players. Marvelous Nakamba, Brendan Galloway and Marshal Munetsi have been ruled out by injury while Tendayi Darikwa asked to be excused from the tournament.
The Warriors started assembling in Harare last Thursday and start training today.
Spain based goalkeeper, Martin Mapisa arrived yesterday while Kudakwashe Mahachi, Knox Mutizwa, Onismor Bhasera, Prince Dube, Never Tigere, Bruce Kangwa, Alec Mudimu, Thabani Kamusoko joined camp on Friday.
Admiral Muskwe, Tinotenda Kadewere, David Moyo, Knowledge Musona and Jordan Zemura are linking up with the rest of the squad in Cameroon.
United States of America based central defender, Teenage Hadebe is already in the country but is said to be attending to a “sensitive” family issue which has seen him not being able to join camp.
Hadebe has been keeping fit by training with his childhood club, Highlanders since he returned home at the end of the season in the USA where he plays for Houston Dynamo in the Major Soccer League.
While there is uncertainly on the team participation at the Afcon, Mpandare indicated that the players were firmly focused on making the final squad of 23 to depart for Cameroon on Wednesday.
The final squad is being announced by the Norman Mapeza led technical team on Tuesday.
“The players are just concentrating on making it into the last 23. No one is talking about the suspension, we have never talked about it and we will never discuss those things in camp lest we deflate the mood in camp.
We just know that we are going to Cameroon on the 29th,’’ Mpandare said.
Last Tuesday, (Fifa) sent a letter to the Zifa secretariat advising that should the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) not lift the suspension imposed on the association’s executive committee by 3 January, the matter will be sent to the world football governing body’s Bureau of Fifa Council for consideration and decision.
Zimbabwe could be slapped with a ban from all football activities if Fifa decides that the action taken by the Gerald Mlotshwa SRC constitutes third party interference in the running of Zifa affairs.
A ban from Fifa effectively means Zimbabwe will be thrown out of the Afcon, with their group, which also has Senegal, Guinea and Malawi to be reduced to just three teams.
It would appear that the SRC is not willing to back down from 16 November decision even in the face of a Fifa ban.
Despite Zifa on Wednesday communicating that they had forwarded Fifa’s letter to the SRC, Mlotshwa insisted that the world football governing body has to communicate directly with the commission.
“The SRC is yet to receive official communication addressed to it from Fifa. When that happens it will respond officially,’’ Mlotshwa said on Thursday.
Should no ban come from Fifa, Zimbabwe are meant to collide with Senegal in Group B’s opening match scheduled for 10 January 2022 at the Kouekong Stadium in Bafoussam.
Zimbabwe face Malawi on 14 January 2022 at Kouekong Stadium before they meet Guinea at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Cameroon’s capital city Yaoundé on 18 January.
Senegal reached the final of the 2019 Afcon held in Egypt and lost 1-0 to Algeria.
Zimbabwe will be making their third appearance in a row at the Afcon and it is the fifth time that they will be taking part in the tournament.
The Warriors have never gone beyond the group stage in all their previous four appearances at the Afcon.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Petros Mhari (FC Platinum), Martin Mapisa (Zamora CF), Talbert Shumba (Free State Stars), Taimon Mvula (Dynamos)
Defenders: Peter Muduhwa (Highlanders), Alec Mudimu (Torpedo Kutaisi), Takudzwa Chimwemwe (Nkana), Jordan Zemura (AFC Bournemouth), Tapiwa Sibanda (Cranborne Bullets), Godknows Murwira (Dynamos), Gerald Takwara (Venda Football Academy), Frank Makarati (Dynamos), Teenage Hadebe (Houston Dynamo), Bruce Kangwa (Azam), Onismor Bhasera (SuperSport United)
Midfielders: Temptation Chiwunga (JDR Stars), Kelvin Madzongwe (FC Platinum), Never Tigere (Azam), Bill Antonio (Dynamos), Shepherd Mhlanga (Chicken Inn), Ishmael Wadi (JDR Stars), Thabani Kamusoko (Zesco United), Kudakwashe Mahachi (SuperSport United), Panashe Mutimbanyoka (FC Platinum)
Strikers: Tinotenda Kadewere (Lyon), Admiral Muskwe (Luton Town), Knowledge Musona (Al-Tai), Knox Mutizwa (Golden Arrows), David Moyo (Hamilton Academical), Prince Dube (Azam)
— @Mdawini_29
Online Reporter