The Zimbabwe national football team coach Ian Gorowa has snubbed South African based players Willard Katsande and Kingston Nkhatha ahead of the make-or-break African Nations Cup qualifier against Tanzania in Harare in 12 days time.
Gorowa had included the two Kaizer Chiefs players in his squad for the 2015 African Nations Cup (Afcon) qualifier against Tanzania over the weekend.
Katsande and Nkhatha for different reasons, opted to pull out of the tie at the 11th hour disrupting Gorowa’s plans and preparations. Players are allowed to be excused from national duty but the Kaizer Chiefs pair gave flimsy reasons for opting out.
Katsande had been one of the favourites to land the PSL Footballer of the Year as well as the Players Player of the Year award but was beaten by Bidvest Wits player Sibusiso Vilakazi.
Katsande failed to pitch up for the Warriors camp before their match against Tanzania, with a number of fans and publications speculating that he had snubbed the country to rather attend the awards ceremony.
Gorowa has now reached out to five others players in Ovidy Karuru, Costa Nhamoinesu, Carlington Nyadombo, Edward Sadomba and Matthew Rusike. He is also keeping a close watch on Khama Billiat, who is battling for full fitness after a period on the sidelines through injury.
Injuries also resulted in the key duo of Billiat and Knowledge Musona missing on the trip to Tanzania and the Warriors will be hoping that both players recover in time for the return leg but the latter has been a long-term casualty.
“I think we just have to work extra hard and be in the kind of condition that will help us to get a result,” said Gorowa.
“So, we are hoping that after the midweek games, the PSL can agree to cancel the weekend matches so that we have more time to try and rectify the mistakes and the weaknesses we have seen from this game.
“I thought that in as much as we did well we were too slow and always second to the ball and we cannot afford to play like that in Harare.
“We will look at the performance again and which areas we need to perfect on but I was also happy for young Marshall Mudehwe, we gave him a chance and he did well we he came on.
“But we were not as sharp as I want us to be and obviously after this defeat we have to settle this game in Harare and it not going to be easy.’
