The big Musona debate

“So if you want Khama to be effective, you need Musona around him. At times we need to find out the real reason why Musona is not playing at his club. Maybe the coaches there just don’t like him or have some personal problems with him,” he said.

Musona’s hope of saving his waning Anderlecht career, after the appointment of Frank Vercauteren as head coach in October, is slowly fading away.

Vincent Kompany stepped down from his match day managerial duties to focus on the club’s defence and it looks like Vercauteren might want Musona out on loan again.

But Rodwell Dhlakama, who coached Musona at national Under-17 level, sees the debate on Musona as an insult to the talisman’s “special talent”.

“Game time or no game time, Musona remains one of the most important members in the squad.

“We are talking of special talent here, not an ordinary player,” said the Ngezi Platinum Stars gaffer.

“We are also talking about different competitions with differing objectives. Musona has served the national team with distinction and deserves a chance to defend the country’s flag.”

BN Academy director, Beki Nyoni, believes Musona’s presence will galvanise the Warriors camp.

“Musona is undoubtedly the Warriors’ leader. The good thing is that he is now training at his club.

According to Wellington Mpandare, who is the programme’s coordinator, Zimbabwe will soon have its own team, which will participate at the Deaflympics and the World Cup.

The Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -anctioned event that sees deaf athletes competing at an elite level.

The next World Cup for the deaf will be held in Korea in September 2020.

However, Zimbabwe will not participate as the country did not take part in the qualifiers.

“lndeed, deaf people have been marginalised, we haven’t seen them playing at the top,” said Mpandare.

“That is why we decided to organise some football for them, where they can have their own league running, and stand a chance to qualify for their own World Cup.

“This might be an opportunity for the new coach (Antipas) to assess him,” said Nyoni.

Former CAPS United and Zimbabwe winger Alois Bunjira is convinced that Musona is fit for national duty.

“Musona is fit because he trains with the first team every day.

“Professional teams keep all their players match fit. The ones that don’t play matches for the first team will get matches in the reserve side and Under-23, just like how Leicester City handle Admiral Muskwe.

“We exaggerate things. Some England regulars have been bench warmers at their clubs over the years,” Bunjira said.

Away from the Musona debate, Mhlauri also contributed his opinion on the British Brigade that had been called up.

Antipas initially included Tivonge Rushesha (Swansea Under-21), Jordan Zemura (Bournemouth), Adam Chicksen (Bolton Wanderers), Cliff Moyo (Kidderminster Harriers) and red-hot Charlton Athletic striker Bonne in the provisional squad.

However, the Warriors gaffer is now only interested in 24-year-old Bonne, who has scored five goals in eight appearances for Championship side Charlton; and the 26-year-old defender Moyo, who plays in the National League North and South — England’s sixth-tier division.

Bonne and Moyo are in the trimmed Warriors squad.

“I see there is a lot of excitement about the new guys, but I feel there is no need to get too excited. Some of them are very promising but some are at mediocre clubs and will need thorough evaluation,” Mhlauri said.

But Antipas has a lot of belief in the qualities of the Diaspora players.

“These players have been through top academies, learning the game from a very young age before graduating to the clubs they are playing for.

“They are tactically aware of the needs to play basic football,” said Antipas.

WARRIORS SQUAD:

1. Elvis Chipezeze

2. Simbarashe Chinani

3. Talbert Shumba

4. Alec Mudimu

5. Cliff Moyo

6. Teenage Hadebe

7. Devine Lunga

8. Ian Nekati

9. Partson Jaure

10. Ronald Pfumbidzai

11. Kelvin Moyo

12. Marvellous Nakamba

13. Marshall Munetsi

14. Ovidy Karuru

15. Butholwezi Ncube

16. Kudakwashe Mahachi

17. Terrence Dzukamanja

18. Thabani Kamusoko

19. Khama Billiat

20. Tino Kadewere

21. Knowledge Musona

22. Macauley Bonne

23. Knox Mtizwa

24. Prince Dube