AS the Zimbabwe Under-20 Cosafa squad departs for Zambia today, questions have been raised on the authenticity of some critics who are querying the ages of some of the players amid claims that it could be more of sour grapes as some of their preferred players were dropped by the coaches.
Bulawayo City coach, Bekithemba “Super” Ndlovu and his assistant Mark Mathe will be travelling with a 20-member squad for the Mopani sponsored regional tournament in Zambia.
It emerged yesterday that prior to the provisional squad call-up by the coaches, some football academy owners in the capital had long started choosing players they wanted to be part of the Young Warriors contingent.
“Age cheating is always a worry in any competition but what baffles us is that they are making the noise now yet these players are registered with various clubs in the Premiership as Under-20s. Most of these noise makers actually wanted their own boys to go to Zambia but when that did not happen, they then decided tof throw spanners in the works by coming up with all sorts of claims,” said a source yesterday.
Contacted for comment Ndlovu said it was not fair for people to accuse his players of being age cheats because all he did was to rely on documentation which was authenticated by the PSL.
“If someone has proof then let those people bring it forward because as a coach I cannot say a player is older than what is on record. All I did was to rely on the fact that those players we called were actually registered as Under-20 by the PSL and its really not my business to start scrutinising the authenticity of their documents but if anyone out there has that proof then we welcome such information, ” said Ndlovu.
Zimbabwe are in Group C together with together with Angola, Lesotho and Botswana.
They open their campaign against Botswana on Monday before facing Lesotho two days later with a date against Angola on December 9 concluding their group stage business.
The top teams from the groups and the best-placed runner-up advance to the semi-finals.
Zim Under-20 Squad
Goalkeepers
1 Tinotenda Issah Ali (Yadah Stars)
2 Frank Kuchineyi (Herentals)
Defenders
3 Andrew Kabila Mbeba (Highlanders)
4 Munashe Peter Garananga (Ubuntu FC)
5 Emmanuel Jalayi (Aces Academy)
6 Brandon Mpofu (Ndlovu Inyathela)
7 Shadreck Panashe Nyahwa (Bulawayo Chiefs)
Midfielders
8 Devine Philmon Mhindiriri (Bulawayo City)
9 Takunda Macdonald Mukunga (Harare City)
10 Tatenda Tumba (Harare City)
11 Kelvin Ndebele (Caps United)
12 Tinotenda Ashabel Chiunye (Caps United)
13 Junior Blessing Nyamuzihwa (ZPC Kariba)
14 Tatenda Muringani (Dynamos)
15 Leonard Jani (FC Platinum)
16 Marvin Sibanda (Taft’s Head Boys Varsity)
Strikers
17 Delic Alfornce Murimba (Triangle)
18 Blessing Tinotenda Sarupinda (Black Rhinos)
19 Clive Junior Rupiya (Chapungu)
20 Thabo Lunga (Highlanders)
State Media