Gore calls for professional approach

TEAM Zimbabwe UK chief executive and ZIFA representative in the United Kingdom and Europe, Marshal Gore, has called for a more professional approach in the invitation of overseas-born football players for national duty.

Gore’s concerns come after some players born in Europe, who had been invited for the Warriors, met with various challenges.

Tivonge Rushesha (17) of Swansea City, Jordan Zemura (19) (AFC Bournemouth), Stockport City’s Douglas Nyaupembe, Adam Chicksen (Bolton Wanderers), Cliff Moyo (Kidderminster Harriers), Macauley Bonne (Charlton Athletic) and Jonah Fabisch (Hamburger SV, Germany), were part of coach Joey Antipas’ preliminary 32-member squad for the 2021 AFCON qualifiers against Botswana and Zambia.

However, only Moyo ended up travelling to Zimbabwe.

Rushesha and Bonne withdrew on medical grounds while Chicksen and Fabisch had club commitments.

Zemura and Nyaupembe were dropped as ZIFA tried to cut costs of travelling.

“I have great appreciation of the work being done by national team manager, Wellington Mpandare and the Zimbabwe Foreign Legion, as we try to lure more players born outside the country to play for Zimbabwe,’’ Gore said.

“However, communication is an area we need to improve going forward.

“Take Chicksen’s case, for example, there was no way he could travel to Zimbabwe at a time when he is trying to get a permanent contract with the club.

“ZIFA could have communicated with him and the club, before including him in the squad. That is the same situation with Fabisch.

“On Bonne, well, there is no one to blame because those are unforeseeable things.’’ He said they had a big role to play.

“As Team Zimbabwe chief executive and ZIFA representative in the United Kingdom and Europe, this is where we should come in,’’ Gore said.

“Our role is to liaise with the players and their teams, not only when they are needed for national duty. I am always in touch with these players.

“Right now, Tendayi Darikwa is injured and I keep in touch with him, following up on his progress. I did the same with Alec Mudimu following his disappointment to land a contract with another club after AFCON in Egypt.”

Gore said it was disappointing that after the spirited efforts to obtain some players’ passports, they ended up being dropped as a cost-cutting measure.

“If ZIFA had approached us, we could have helped them source the funds to enable the boys to travel,’’ he said.

“As Team Zimbabwe, we travelled with a team of Under-23s to Zimbabwe. We used our resources. ZIFA should utilise us people in the Diaspora. “We managed to mobilise resources to send our team to Zimbabwe. How can we fail to support a player who wants to represent his country?