Mapeza’s young Warriors

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Mapeza last week named a squad of 20 players under the age of 25 years, with a bold decision to wade into battle against The Flames without any of the country’s foreign legion, the bedrock of Zimbabwe’s campaigns in recent years.
In an interview, the 35-year-old former Zimbabwe captain said he is concerned with building a team for the future. Mapeza also hinted at an interest in getting a fulltime role with the national team, but it was his bold decision to boot out the senior players for the dead-rubber match against the Malawians on 9 September, which has triggered debate among soccer fans.
“I seriously believe that the future lies in grooming a young team now, so that Zimbabwe can be in a position to challenge for a place at the 2010 World Cup. And looking around at all the players available, there is nothing one can expect anymore from the majority of the foreign-based players because, to be honest, most of them are not playing that well at their respective clubs, in addition to the fact that age is no longer on their side.
So the future can only be in raising a group of young players and that should start with examining the current Under-23 national team, because it has already tasted international football.
“I went to Mozambique (on 20 August) for the friendly match in Beira, and I wish everyone back home could have seen those youngsters play. Maybe then, the fans would understand what I’m trying to do when I say the best way to build a winning team is to look at a player’s ability, not reputation or history.
“The match against Malawi gives us the perfect chance to turn a new leaf, because whilst it is important to get a result, it gives us the opportunity to assess the players we have so that we can map the way forward. We have to be thinking ahead, we have to be realistic enough to admit that time is up for most of our foreign-based players, if we are to compete on an equal level with other teams from the rest of the continent,” Mapeza said.
Mapeza is probably Zimbabwe’s most travelled players, alongside former captain Peter Ndlovu, who, incidentally, appears to have played his last match in national colours, going by Mapeza’s 2010 Vision.
Now barking instructions as Monomotapa, coach Mapeza believes he is ready to lead any team, including the national squad.
“One has to start coaching somewhere, and I happened to be here at Monomotapa. But football is now my life – that is why I believe I’m ready to rise to any coaching challenge at anytime, as we speak.”
Zifa are bent on recruiting a foreign coach before the end of the year, but with Mapeza slowly winning the confidence of the nation, that decision might no longer be clear-cut anymore.
Zimbabwe squad:
Goalkeepers: T Mudzamiri, W Arubi, T Dube. Defenders: M Mwanjali, G Banda, C Nhamoinesu, O Moyo, G Karimupfupi. Midfielders: J Majabvi, C Matawu, C Gomba, O Kalulu, P Tafirenyika, B Benesi, L Mtizwa, Z Jambo. Strikers: K Nkatha, A Dzukamanya, R Mteki, W Pakamisa.