Charlton Athletic midfielder named in the Warriors team

Bradley Pritchard who plies his trade with English outfit Charlton Athletic has been include in the Warriors team ahead of the start of Zimbabwe's 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign early next month.

Although Pritchard's nationality is listed as English on his club's website, the same site notes that the 25-year-old is Zimbabwean born and he appears to have opted to play for his country of birth resulting in Gumbo including him in his plans.

Pritchard becomes the second England-based player after Plymouth Argyle defender Onismor Bhasera to be included in the squad.

According to his profile on the Charlton Athletic website, Pritchard has, in the 2011-2012 season, played 10 league games, made two FA Cup appearances and as many in the League Cup scoring once.

But before he joined Charlton Athletic, Pritchard had scored 14 goals for Hayes and Yeading United in the Blue Square Bret Premier which is the top tier of non-league football and once he got a trial stint at the Addicks, he impressed manager Chris Powell who in turn snapped him up.

Powell spoke glowingly about Pritchard.

"Bradley is a player we watched quite a bit in the second half of the season. He scored a number of goals from midfield which is always a good sign and he came and spent some time training with the squad and played in the reserve game.

"He is a good midfielder with a good use of the ball but what I like most about him is that he is very energetic and technically aware.

"Also he has that knack which doesn't happen a lot with players, of arriving in the box unnoticed and that's why he is got into double figures last year from midfield.

"People may say it was Conference level but in my eyes that's the fifth league. So he's jumped a couple of levels and we feel that he has the right attitude to progress and carry on learning his trade with us," Powell said.

There was room too for such familiar faces like that of Tinashe Nengomasha, skipper Tapuwa Kapini, Archiford Gutu, Vusa Nyoni and veteran Motor Action goalkeeper Marlon Jani in the squad.

Gumbo has also sought to give a number of locals such as Dynamos defender Partson Jaure, midfielder Simon Munawa of Highlanders and the Hwange pair of Rodwell Chinyengetere and Francisco Zvikumbaware a chance to fight for Warriors recognition.

Warriors squad:
Tapiwa Kapini (Amazulu-SA), Njabulo Nyoni (Chicken Inn) Marlon Jani (Motor Action), Timothy Sibanda (Hwange)

Defenders
Tapiwa Khumbuyani (CAPS United), Godfrey Moyo (Motor Action), Patson Jaure (Dynamos), Nyasha Mukumbi (CAPS United), Onismore Bhasera (Plymouth Argyle-UK), Carrington Nyadombo (Amazulu-SA)

Midfielders
Simon Munawa (Highlanders), Denver Mukamba (Dynamos), Charles Sibanda (FC Platinum), Kuda Mahachi (Chicken Inn), Ronald Chitiyo (Monomotapa), Welcome Ndiweni (FC Platinum), Bradley Pritchard (Charlton Athletic-UK), Vusa Nyoni (Gerninal Beerschot-Belgium), Tinashe Nengomasha (Kaizer Chiefs-SA), Khama Billiat (Ajax Cape Town-SA), Ovidy Karuru (US Boulogne), Willard Katsande (Kaizer Chiefs), Oscar Machapa (Moroka Swallows), Archiford Gutu (Kalmar ff-Sweden)

Strikers
Rodwell Chinyengetere (Hwange), Takesure Chinyama (Dynamos), Francisco Zvikumbawire (Hwange), Terrence Mandaza (Platinum Stars-SA), Arnold Chaka (Mochudi Centre Chiefs-Botswana), Knowledge Musona (Hoffeinheim-Germany).