Sports / Soccer
Musona confirms his availability for the national team
31 Aug 2012 at 15:11hrs | Views
Knowledge Musona has confirmed his availability for Warriors duties again, boosting the senior team's chances when they face Angola in the decisive African Cup of Nations final qualifier, first leg at Rufaro on September 9.
The Warriors will go into battle needing to secure a comfortable home win that would enhance their chances of grinding a result in Luanda on October 7 and securing their place at the 2013 Nations Cup finals scheduled for next January in South Africa.
But there had been doubts over the availability of the Warriors chief striker after the German-based forward announced his self-imposed exile from the national team following a clash with the Zifa leadership over allegations of match-fixing.
The FC Augsburg striker announced through his lawyer Misheck Hogwe of Hogwe, Dzimirai and Partners, in a letter to Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, that he was taking a sabbatical from the Warriors and would only resume if the association apologised.
Even though Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo last week included Musona in his 27-man squad for the Angola tie, Hogwe had cast a huge doubt on the player's availability, insisting that Zifa had neither issued an apology nor taken steps to resolve the impasse.
Yesterday Musona announced through Hogwe that he remained committed to playing for the Warriors and would be available for selection for the senior side.
In a letter to Zifa sent through the association's lawyer Ralph Maganga, Hogwe said Musona's patriotism and the fact that the former Kaizer Chiefs hitman had also been humbled by pleas from Zimbabweans to reconsider his position, had influenced the striker's decision to return to the national team fold.
Musona, Hogwe said, had also been touched by the confidence that coach Gumbo had entrusted in him to continue leading the Warriors' line of attack.
Even at the height of the impasse, torched by allegations that Musona and Ovidy Karuru had been spotted leaving the premises of former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya on the eve of their Nations Cup first round qualifier against Burundi, Gumbo stuck with his man and thrust him into the starting line-up.
Rushwaya is accused by Zifa of being the mastermind of the of the Asiagate match-fixing scandal, but the association is yet to prove that.
Musona then responded by firing home the solitary goal that fired the Warriors to the final qualifiers on the away goals rule after the two sides had been deadlocked 2-2.
The Smiling Assassin had also struck for Zimbabwe in the first leg in Bujumbura in March when the Warriors lost 2-1
Hogwe also said a number of stakeholders had intervened to convince Musona to reconsider his decision to withdraw from the international game.
"As your good office may be aware, the Warriors' technical team have expressed their desire to consider our client for selection for national duty in the forthcoming AFCON 2013 home and away matches against Angola.
"Our client feels so humbled by the fact that the coaches have expressed confidence that he may still make a contribution to the Warriors' national cause despite the hurtful allegations made against him.
"He feels further humbled by a litany of pleas from various fans and other stakeholders for him to reconsider his position.
"The foregoing factors coupled by his unwavering patriotism and desire to serve his country at the highest possible level have persuaded our client to reconsider.
"We are pleased to advise that our client will accordingly avail himself for selection for national duty.
"To him self-actualisation is the privilege to represent his country to the best of his ability whenever called upon to do so.
"He will therefore give his all like he has always done and will not sacrifice his commitment to the national interest at the altar of ego,'' Hogwe said.Hogwe also noted that their efforts to push for an apology from Zifa had not yielded any fruits.
The Harare lawyer had last week also told The Herald that all they had received from Zifa was an acknowledgement of his earlier correspondence to the association outlining Musona's demands for him to end his exile from the national duties.
"We communicated formally with Zifa through their chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze and copied our position to the president of the association (Cuthbert Dube).
"We felt if Zifa were interested in having a resolution of the issue, they would have taken the necessary steps to try and resolve the case.
"The only correspondence we received was from the Zifa lawyer advising us that the board met on August 4 and among the issues discussed was the Musona case."After that board meeting we didn't receive any communication from Zifa or their lawyers.
"As far as we are concerned nothing has changed because the contentious issues have not been resolved,'' Hogwe said then.
But circumstances changed yesterday with Hogwe revealing that the striker had instructed that he would be ready to do duty for the Warriors again despite no apology emanating from the Zifa headquarters at 53 Livingstone Avenue in Harare.
"He appreciates fully that insisting on your client (Zifa) acknowledging their error may be akin to pushing them to swallow boiling fat,'' Hogwe said.
Hogwe however, expressed concern that an administrative gaffe by the Warriors management may cause problems over Musona's release by FC Augsburg for the massive showdown against Angola amid indications that an initial request had been sent to the club that loaned him out, TSG Hoffenheim.
"On a different note, our client is not sure whether his club will release him since formalities requesting his availability were not done in time. He just hopes for the best,'' Hogwe said.
While Musona looks set to celebrate his return to the Warriors fold, his friend and midfielder Karuru would have to wait a little longer as Gumbo overlooked him for selection for the Angola clash. But it is not all gloomy for Karuru, who yesterday completed his move to Belgian Ligue 1 outfit Oud-Heverlee Leuven and has since been handed the Number 7 jersey a the club.
Although Karuru could not be reached for comment yesterday, it has emerged that the former US Bolougne midfielder may have pipped fellow countryman Tafadzwa Rusike for a place on the Leuven books as he is a more experienced player.
Rusike of Ajax Cape Town spent a week on trials at Leuven but is back with the Urban Warriors and with the transfer window having closed yesterday the former CAPS United winger would have to try his luck during the mid-season window period.
Karuru also became the fourth African on the Leuven books as the Belgians already have forwards Derick Ogbu of Nigeria, Gambian Ibo and Christian Ouga, who hails from Cameroon.
In Belgium Karuru will also link up with his good friend Vusa Nyoni, who is among such Zimbabweans like Honour Gombami and Cephas Chimedza, who are already playing in that country.
The Warriors will go into battle needing to secure a comfortable home win that would enhance their chances of grinding a result in Luanda on October 7 and securing their place at the 2013 Nations Cup finals scheduled for next January in South Africa.
But there had been doubts over the availability of the Warriors chief striker after the German-based forward announced his self-imposed exile from the national team following a clash with the Zifa leadership over allegations of match-fixing.
The FC Augsburg striker announced through his lawyer Misheck Hogwe of Hogwe, Dzimirai and Partners, in a letter to Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze, that he was taking a sabbatical from the Warriors and would only resume if the association apologised.
Even though Warriors coach Rahman Gumbo last week included Musona in his 27-man squad for the Angola tie, Hogwe had cast a huge doubt on the player's availability, insisting that Zifa had neither issued an apology nor taken steps to resolve the impasse.
Yesterday Musona announced through Hogwe that he remained committed to playing for the Warriors and would be available for selection for the senior side.
In a letter to Zifa sent through the association's lawyer Ralph Maganga, Hogwe said Musona's patriotism and the fact that the former Kaizer Chiefs hitman had also been humbled by pleas from Zimbabweans to reconsider his position, had influenced the striker's decision to return to the national team fold.
Musona, Hogwe said, had also been touched by the confidence that coach Gumbo had entrusted in him to continue leading the Warriors' line of attack.
Even at the height of the impasse, torched by allegations that Musona and Ovidy Karuru had been spotted leaving the premises of former Zifa chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya on the eve of their Nations Cup first round qualifier against Burundi, Gumbo stuck with his man and thrust him into the starting line-up.
Rushwaya is accused by Zifa of being the mastermind of the of the Asiagate match-fixing scandal, but the association is yet to prove that.
Musona then responded by firing home the solitary goal that fired the Warriors to the final qualifiers on the away goals rule after the two sides had been deadlocked 2-2.
The Smiling Assassin had also struck for Zimbabwe in the first leg in Bujumbura in March when the Warriors lost 2-1
Hogwe also said a number of stakeholders had intervened to convince Musona to reconsider his decision to withdraw from the international game.
"As your good office may be aware, the Warriors' technical team have expressed their desire to consider our client for selection for national duty in the forthcoming AFCON 2013 home and away matches against Angola.
"Our client feels so humbled by the fact that the coaches have expressed confidence that he may still make a contribution to the Warriors' national cause despite the hurtful allegations made against him.
"He feels further humbled by a litany of pleas from various fans and other stakeholders for him to reconsider his position.
"The foregoing factors coupled by his unwavering patriotism and desire to serve his country at the highest possible level have persuaded our client to reconsider.
"We are pleased to advise that our client will accordingly avail himself for selection for national duty.
"To him self-actualisation is the privilege to represent his country to the best of his ability whenever called upon to do so.
"He will therefore give his all like he has always done and will not sacrifice his commitment to the national interest at the altar of ego,'' Hogwe said.Hogwe also noted that their efforts to push for an apology from Zifa had not yielded any fruits.
The Harare lawyer had last week also told The Herald that all they had received from Zifa was an acknowledgement of his earlier correspondence to the association outlining Musona's demands for him to end his exile from the national duties.
"We communicated formally with Zifa through their chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze and copied our position to the president of the association (Cuthbert Dube).
"We felt if Zifa were interested in having a resolution of the issue, they would have taken the necessary steps to try and resolve the case.
"The only correspondence we received was from the Zifa lawyer advising us that the board met on August 4 and among the issues discussed was the Musona case."After that board meeting we didn't receive any communication from Zifa or their lawyers.
"As far as we are concerned nothing has changed because the contentious issues have not been resolved,'' Hogwe said then.
But circumstances changed yesterday with Hogwe revealing that the striker had instructed that he would be ready to do duty for the Warriors again despite no apology emanating from the Zifa headquarters at 53 Livingstone Avenue in Harare.
"He appreciates fully that insisting on your client (Zifa) acknowledging their error may be akin to pushing them to swallow boiling fat,'' Hogwe said.
Hogwe however, expressed concern that an administrative gaffe by the Warriors management may cause problems over Musona's release by FC Augsburg for the massive showdown against Angola amid indications that an initial request had been sent to the club that loaned him out, TSG Hoffenheim.
"On a different note, our client is not sure whether his club will release him since formalities requesting his availability were not done in time. He just hopes for the best,'' Hogwe said.
While Musona looks set to celebrate his return to the Warriors fold, his friend and midfielder Karuru would have to wait a little longer as Gumbo overlooked him for selection for the Angola clash. But it is not all gloomy for Karuru, who yesterday completed his move to Belgian Ligue 1 outfit Oud-Heverlee Leuven and has since been handed the Number 7 jersey a the club.
Although Karuru could not be reached for comment yesterday, it has emerged that the former US Bolougne midfielder may have pipped fellow countryman Tafadzwa Rusike for a place on the Leuven books as he is a more experienced player.
Rusike of Ajax Cape Town spent a week on trials at Leuven but is back with the Urban Warriors and with the transfer window having closed yesterday the former CAPS United winger would have to try his luck during the mid-season window period.
Karuru also became the fourth African on the Leuven books as the Belgians already have forwards Derick Ogbu of Nigeria, Gambian Ibo and Christian Ouga, who hails from Cameroon.
In Belgium Karuru will also link up with his good friend Vusa Nyoni, who is among such Zimbabweans like Honour Gombami and Cephas Chimedza, who are already playing in that country.
Source - TH
