The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
SABLES coach Cyprian “Supa” Mandenge is in a fix after most of the senior players he had earmarked for this month’s Hong Kong Cup of Nations tournament indicated they are not available for selection.
The invitational tournament runs from November 13-22.
However, Zimbabwe’s preparations got off to the worst possible start last week after a huge chunk of first team players withdrew their names from selection due to either injury, work or school commitments.
“It has been a very difficult week,” conceded Mandenge.
“It is unfortunate that the season has ended and a few players are carrying injuries, while due to the length of the tour some of the guys have been forced to withdraw after failing to get time off from their work places.
“We love these tournaments and would like to get more of them, but if something can be done by Government to make sure that if and when players are selected for national duty they get a reprieve to go we would be very grateful.
“Right now it looks very unlikely that we will have a group camp as we have been forced to train in batches, owing to the foreign based players having work, club and school commitments.
“We will most likely meet up with them in Hong Kong as most can only get time off for the tournament. That said, I have never been one to make excuses and don’t intend to start now.
“We still have a very healthy pool of players to choose from and the withdrawal of some of these guys has opened up an opportunity for the younger guys.”
From the extended squad announced last week, at least 16 had officially communicated their withdrawal at the time of going to print.
Among the notable names that will be absent due to work commitments are Justin Zietsman, Linience Tarembwa, Kingsley Lang, Garth Ziegler, Graeme Lawler, Tangai Nemadire and Tatenda Murwira.
Fortune Chipendo, Takudzwa Chieza, Shame Makombe, Hilton Mudariki and Michael Passaportis are unavailable due to injury.
Meanwhile, the Young Sables trio of Shingi Katsvere, Aiden Burnett and Stephen Bhasera is yet to pitch up due to school commitments
