Sports / Soccer
Warriors in player crisis ahead of CHAN
03 Jan 2016 at 08:28hrs | Views
Warriors' preparations for a fourth consecutive appearance at the Africa Nations Championship (Chan) continue to suffer setbacks, with the latest one being the pullout of three key players.
Captain Danny Phiri (ankle) already ruled out together with Hwange goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya (shoulder), the team resumed training yesterday morning without new FC Platinum winger Hillary Bakacheza, Chicken Inn midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu and defender Teenage Hadebe.
Bakacheza had been training through the pain but the soccer star finalist lost his battle when he aggravated the injury in training on Tuesday.
Kutinyu has been withdrawn from camp after suffering a groin injury.
Hadebe, who has been a fixture in National Under-23 side as well as the local ensemble of the Warriors, was largely expected to start for the Warriors in Rwanda. However, he has also been ruled out due to family commitments.
Coach Callisto Pasuwa appeared buoyant yesterday, saying he expected such setbacks on the back of a grueling season in the local premiership. He said the squad that is still in camp will cope without the five that have been forced out.
"We will just do our best with the 27 players that we have in camp,".
"As a technical team we expected these setbacks along the way, especially coming from a grueling season that these players have had, and so that is why we had an enlarged squad of 32.
"That is the same reason why I even resisted calls to trim the squad, because what that would have meant is starting afresh.
"Of course we are disappointed that these five have pulled out because we wanted them, but at the same time you have to appreciate that the remaining guys were not here to make the numbers.
"They are in camp on merit and I have no doubt that they have what it takes to go all the way to the final."
Captain Danny Phiri (ankle) already ruled out together with Hwange goalkeeper Takabva Mawaya (shoulder), the team resumed training yesterday morning without new FC Platinum winger Hillary Bakacheza, Chicken Inn midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu and defender Teenage Hadebe.
Bakacheza had been training through the pain but the soccer star finalist lost his battle when he aggravated the injury in training on Tuesday.
Kutinyu has been withdrawn from camp after suffering a groin injury.
Hadebe, who has been a fixture in National Under-23 side as well as the local ensemble of the Warriors, was largely expected to start for the Warriors in Rwanda. However, he has also been ruled out due to family commitments.
"We will just do our best with the 27 players that we have in camp,".
"As a technical team we expected these setbacks along the way, especially coming from a grueling season that these players have had, and so that is why we had an enlarged squad of 32.
"That is the same reason why I even resisted calls to trim the squad, because what that would have meant is starting afresh.
"Of course we are disappointed that these five have pulled out because we wanted them, but at the same time you have to appreciate that the remaining guys were not here to make the numbers.
"They are in camp on merit and I have no doubt that they have what it takes to go all the way to the final."
Source - Sunday Mail
