The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
THE Mighty Warriors are benefitting from new captain Talent Mandaza’s military background, coach Shadreck Mlauzi has revealed.Mandaza, a sergeant in the Zimbabwe National Army, was last week appointed national team skipper, taking over from Felistas “Figo” Muzongondi.
The 30-year old Black Rhinos player wore the armband for the first time when the Mighty Warriors fell 0-3 to South Africa in an international friendly at the National Sports Stadium on Thursday.
Mlauzi is impressed with what he has seen in Mandaza so far and tips the defensive midfielder to do the business at the African Women Cup of Nations which gets underway in Cameroon on Saturday. Zimbabwe are in group A together with neighbours South Africa, hosts Cameroon and Egypt at the eight team tournament.
“Talent, by virtue of her being a sergeant in the national army, has leadership qualities well inculcated in her,” said Mlauzi.
“You look at the way she quickly reorganises the team to defend especially after a quick or surprise attack, the way she communicates and also the way she reads the game and marvel at how brilliant she is.
“I think these are values they teach very well in the army and I look forward to the team benefiting from that.
“However, I should be quick to point out that this was purely a football decision which had nothing to do with her work posting. All I am saying is her ways are probably a product of the training they get in the army.”
There has been talk that Muzongondi fell out with technical team but Mlauzi insists that the former captain’s slump in form triggered the call.
“Obviously you can’t expect her to celebrate after being stripped of the captaincy but we explained everything to her and I am sure she understood the need for the new appointment,” he said.
“Of late she has not been playing to the level where we know she can and her position in the starting lineup was under threat, so what we did is to take away the pressures that come with the captaincy and allow her to focus on her game.
“Maybe with time she will retain to the captaincy and if anything we will forever be indebted to her for leading us to the Olympics and the Afcon finals.”
Meanwhile Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela has revealed that the Mighty Warriors are scheduled to leave for Cameroon on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe’s first game is against South Africa on Saturday with the clash against Egypt following three days later. Mlauzi’s charges round off their group campaign with a date against the hosts on November 25.
