‘Darikwa still committed to Warriors’
WARRIORS team manager, Wellington Mpandare, says Tendai Darikwa is still available for selection for the senior national team should Zimbabwe’s suspension by FIFA be lifted.
Darikwa excused himself from selection, during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, because of concerns the Warriors were being given a raw deal by the ZIFA leadership.
The Wigan Athletic campaign was not happy that the Warriors’ capacity to punch according to their weight was being compromised by the poor way the team was being supported by those who were in leadership at ZIFA House.
Rather than continue to see their efforts being derailed by poor leadership, Darikwa decided to ask the national team’s management not to consider him for the remaining assignments, until the ZIFA bosses put their house in order.
The majority of those who were running ZIFA have since been swept away by the tide, with the principal figures — Felton Kamambo, Philemon Machana and Bryton Malandule — having their mandate to lead the association being revoked by the Councillors.
Mpandare said he was certain Darikwa will answer the call to represent his country as long as there was order at ZIFA House.
“Yes, he is very much available, as long as our house is in order he will come.”
He showed his commitment to his country when he wrapped himself with a Zimbabwean flag on his way to collect the trophy which Wigan received for winning the English League Two title at the weekend.
The Latics thrashed Shrewsbury Town 3-0 to be crowned champions.
This means Darikwa is back in the English Championship, which is the league just below the Premiership, in the English league structure.
“It’s milestone for him as captain and key player for the Warriors,” said Mpandare.
“Captaining Wigan to the championship is a great achievement, coming after his injury induced a long layoff.
“We can only wish him well in his new challenge and expect him to carry his form and leadership quality into the national team.”
Mpadare also confirmed the availability of captain Knowledge Musona.
Musona became the first Zimbabwean player to score at two different AFCON finals, when he headed home Never Tigere’s pin-point cross against Guinea in Cameroon.
But, his future has been shrouded in uncertainty since then.
A number of reports have claimed Musona was on the verge of announcing his retirement from international football.
He has been a regular member of the Warriors for the past dozen years in which he also emerged as the team’s golden boy.
“Knowledge is still available for national team selection but, obviously, if we don’t get cleared for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers, then it will be a different ball game altogether.
“That will mean our coming back into international football will be after the 2023 Afcon finals and a lot can happen in between,” he added.
Fate has not been kind to Musona and his generation of Warriors.
Ahead of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, they became the first group of Warriors to be barred from taking part, as punishment, for the failure by the ZIFA leaders to pay Brazilian coach, Valinhos, his dues.