Mafu speaks on Warriors camp

Fungai Muderere

AHEAD of Fifa World Cup qualifiers that are scheduled for next month, Warriors assistant coach Bongani Mafu has underscored the need to have a realistic training camp that will accommodate a number of the country’s foreign based players.

Zimbabwe are scheduled to face Rwanda away before they play host to Nigeria in matches that will be played between November 13 and 21.

The Baltemar Brito-coached side concluded a hurriedly arranged four-day training camp in Harare on Monday. This was after the country’s football motherbody failed to secure a friendly match during the last Fifa international break.

“The most important thing will be to have a realistic training camp sometime before the games so that we bring in our professionals playing in the big leagues. This is very crucial for games such as the World Cup qualifiers. We need a squad that is made up of professionals and the local boys that we have so far identified as good enough for such big games,” said Mafu.

Moldova-based defender Munashe Garananga and the South Africa-based contingent that included Knox Mutizwa, Devine Lunga, Washington Arubi and Ronald Pfumbidzai were part of the first Warriors training camp that saw the likes of Marvelous Nakamba, Teenage Hadebe, Marshal Munetsi and Tino Kadewere among others missing out.

About the first training camp, Mafu, a former Highlanders, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Hwange coach said: “We are starting, we have to start from somewhere and build from there. The old adage says if you have 11 players, that doesn’t necessarily make a team. We played one-half and the other half against Northern Region Select with a different lot of players. We saw what needs to be improved or who needs to be replaced because this is a national team, each person has to prove himself. We have seen that we have to go out in the country and look for players to build this Zimbabwe team.”

Mafu said he was happy to see young players knocking on the Warriors door.

“I saw very good players and for me, it tells me that even our Under-23 players can still make it into the senior national team. So, these exercises where the senior national team plays regional selects broadens our selection,” said Mafu. 

Last month, the local-based Warriors took on neighbouring Botswana in a friendly match.

Players who were part of the training camp:

Goalkeepers

Washington Arubi, Godknows Gurure

Defenders

Munashe Garananga, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Peter Muduhwa, Godknows Murwira, Divine Lunga, Xolani Ndlovu, Frank Makarati

Midfielders

Tatenda Tavengwa, Tanaka Shandirwa, Never Tigere, Phineas Bamusi, Takunda Benhura, Gerald Bero, Shepherd Mhlanga, Sylvester Munhira, Bret Amidu

Strikers

Obriel Chirinda, Knox Mutizwa -@FungaiMuderere