HARARE - WARRIORS caretaker coach Madinda Ndlovu says he is happy with the way preparations for the African Nations Championships to be held in Sudan next month have progressed so far and promised come up with the best line-up for the tourney out of the more than 30 currently in camp.
The tournament in which only players featuring in their domestic leagues allowed to participate kicks off on February 4-24. The Confederation of African Football has set January 24 as deadline for all teams to name their squads and Madinda who now has 31 players in camp following the arrival of Highlanders defender Zephaniah Ngodzo remained optimistic he would come up with a formidable 23 man squad before the deadline.
On Wednesday,the Warriors played against Motor Action in a preparatory match at Rufaro. The Mighty Bulls are also preparing for their maiden African Safari in which they face off Cnaps Sports of Madagascar in a Champions League preliminary round tie at the end of this month. Despite ZIFA failing to organise a high profile international friendly for the Warriors before the tournament due to lack of resources, Ndlovu expressed satisfication with the team’s preparations.
He said: It was better that we have found an opposition in Motor Action and am happy with the preparations so far. The challenge really is that we could not get any other team to play. Its the off-season period and finding opposition for serious practice sessions at this time of the calendar becomes difficult.
Maybe we will also play the Under-23 team as they will also be preparing to play Zambia in the reverse fixture. We could also try and squeeze a game against the Zambians before they leave for Lusaka if they agree to it. Zifa had hoped to engage Chipolopolo but the Zambians spurned the offer. Ndlovu is being assisted by Under-23 coaches Friday Phiri and Darlington Dodo and goalkeepers coach Richard Tswatswa.Under-23 skipper and Gunners left back Qadr Amin and fellow Young Warriors Denver Mukamba, Archieford Gutu and Simba Sithole are also training with the squad.
Post published in: Zimbabwe Sports News