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Ocean Mushure

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
OCEAN Mushure has been pardoned by coach Callisto Pasuwa and is now expected to join his Warriors teammates when the squad resume camp on Boxing Day to continue preparations for the Africa Nations Championship.

The Dynamos leftback was last week frozen out by the technical department after he had failed to report for camp on time and without communicating his position.

However, the DeMbare vice-captain appears to have benefited from the confusion that rocked the camp last week as the Warriors are now looking for a fresh start following a week of chaos.

The team’s preparations were disrupted when ZIFA fired Pasuwa and dissolved the camp. The situation, nonetheless, has since normalised after Pasuwa was reinstated this week.

The team is now expected to resume camp on Saturday afternoon and Mushure has been invited back after explaining his position to the technical staff and asking for pardon.

Team manager, Sharif Mussa yesterday said the coach had reached a truce with Mushure and had allowed him to return to the fold.

“Basically there will be no changes to the team and I can confirm Ocean will be among the boys coming in when the players regroup. The coach said he has spoken with him and informed me that there is no problem (calling him),” said Mussa.

Mushure was given the same treatment that was dished out to the trio of Justice Jangano, Hardlife Zvirekwi and Ronald Chitiyo two months ago when they were sent away for reporting late for the preparations of the first leg of the final round of the CHAN qualifiers against Lesotho.

Zvirekwi was later pardoned and featured in the return leg in Maseru where Zimbabwe drew 1-1 and qualified for the finals to be played in Rwanda next month on 4-2 aggregate victory.

Mushure yesterday said he has set his sights on fighting for his place in the final squad to go to Rwanda. The other players who are earmarked for the same position are Highlanders’ Bruce Kangwa and versatile Young Warriors man Edwin Madhananga.

“I am happy to be back in the fold. We had a serious chat with the coach where I explained my position. First and foremost I had to explain that I didn’t snub the call. Instead, I was attending to a family emergency.

“My brother was very sick and I had to go and see him in the rural areas where communication was a big challenge. So we talked about this with the coach and he asked me to write an apology which I did and I sent it to ZIFA and to the technical team as well. Then he called me on Unity Day and asked me to report for camp on December 26,” said Mushure.

Skipper Danny Phiri, who could not report for duty last week with injury concerns is expected to lead a contingent of over 10 players from Bulawayo.

Probably the only notable absentee when the camp resumes will be Highlanders’ Knox Mutizwa, who has gone back to South Africa to follow up on a recent trial at Bidvest Wits. The Premiership Golden Boot winner is only expected back in the country on Monday.

The Warriors have lost considerable time for preparation following a disastrous start to their camp, characterised by off-field bickering and lack of planning.

Pasuwa has now set his sights on a fresh start to camp and looking to make the most out of the reaming weeks of preparation.

And with the final squad of 23 required by CAF just days before the start of the tournament, it means the Warriors’ technical department will have only two weeks to polish up their squad.

Mussa yesterday said they would need to get the best out of the limited time they have and was busy relaying the message to the individual players to heed the Boxing Day call up.

“Everybody in the 32-member squad is required to come into camp soon after Christmas, on the Boxing Day, including those who were carrying knocks. All the players will be assessed again by the team doctors to determine their fitness.

“We would have restarted the camp early but it did not make sense to ask the guys to come back yesterday or today and we send them away for the Christmas day and then expect them again to come back soon after Christmas holiday.

“So we regroup once on Saturday and then see as the days go by if we can break again for the New Year’s holiday. But basically, we look forward to start the whole programme in the afternoon on Saturday with field and gym exercises,” said Mussa.

The CHAN tournament will take place in Rwanda from January 16 to February 7. Zimbabwe were drawn in Group D along with cosafa rivals Zambia, Mali and Uganda.

Squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Elvis Chipezeze (Chicken Inn FC), Tatenda Mukuruva (Dynamos FC), Takabva Mawaya (Hwange Colliery FC), Donovan Bernard (How Mine FC)

DEFENDERS: Stephen Makatuka (CAPS United FC), Blessing Moyo (Dynamos FC), Bruce Kangwa (Highlanders FC), Ocean Mushure (Dynamos FC), Elisha Muroiwa (Dynamos FC), Teenage Hadebe (Highlanders FC), Lawrence Mhlanga (Chicken Inn FC ), Hardlife Zvirekwi (CAPS United FC) Farai Madhananga (Flame lily FC)

MIDFIELDERS: Nqobizitha Masuku (Highlanders FC), Tichaona Chipunza (Triangle FC), Ronald Chitiyo (Dynamos FC), Raphael Manuvire (ZPC Kariba FC), Tafadzwa Kutinyu (Chicken Inn FC), George Majika (Chicken Inn FC), Marshall Mudehwe (FC Platinum), William Manondo (Harare City FC), Danny Phiri (Chicken Inn FC), Gerald Takwara (FC Platinum), Joel Ngodzo (CAPS United FC) Hillary Bakacheza (Triangle United FC)

STRIKERS: Pritchard Mpelele (Hwange Colliery FC), Rodreck Mutuma (Dynamos FC), Edmore Chirambadare (Chicken Inn FC), Brian Muzondiwa (FC Platinum), Francisco Zekumbawira (Harare City FC), Knox Mtizwa (Highlanders FC), Moses Demera (Flame Lily FC)