Zim footballers generate a lot of interest

Zim footballers generate a lot of interestRobson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
FIVE-TIME African champions Zamalek have moved closer to securing the signature of CAPS United forward Abbas Amidu after officially indicating their interest in signing the forward who destroyed them with a superb double strike in a CAF Champions League showdown at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Although both Makepekepe and the White Knights were playing their cards close to their chests, The Herald gathered yesterday that such is the massive interest from the Egyptian giants everything could be finalised as soon as next week at the conclusion of the Champions’ League group stages.

“The only sticking point is that there is so much concentration, on both sides, on the final crucial Champions League matches this week and after that, you could expect things to move quite quickly and possibly very smoothly,’’ the sources said.

“Abbas has done his part to make a huge impression on the Egyptians, not only with the way he led the line against them on Sunday and scored those two goals, but even the way he performed in the big game against TP Mazembe in Lubumbashi where he didn’t only score a goal, but kept the home defence under pressure.

“More than his two goals on Sunday, which were all quality strikes, it was the way he never gave the opposition defence any breathing space with his energetic performances that caught the eye of the Egyptians and, given his good athletic frame, they feel he can be a huge asset for them going forward and needs to be signed now.”

Amidu has also attracted interest from clubs in Tunisia and Libya, who have been tracking his performances in the Champions League and they could plunge into a bidding war for his services with Zamalek.

Former Zimbabwe international midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha said Amidu’s performances in the Champions League have been enough for him to impress suitors in foreign leagues.

“He has been playing without fear of the opposition and that is a very key element in telling these foreign clubs that a player means business and for him to run at such a pace, as was the case in the final moments of the game on Sunday, and still generate the kind of power that we saw in his second goal shows you he is a good athlete,” said Nengomasha.

“It would be good for us as a country if we get many of these good players who are currently playing on the local scene going to play their football in tougher leagues because when they come back home, let’s say for the national team, they would be better players who can help our country in a big way.”

Zamalek officials believe their strikeforce has been the team’s Achilles heel with Zambian international forward Emmanuel Mayuka, who once played for English side Southampton, struggling to make an impression while Nigeria’s Stanley Ohawuchi, scorer of their goal on Sunday, on loan from Wadi Degla and is essentially a supporting striker.

The White Knights have scored 40 goals in 32 league matches in the domestic championship, which is drawing to a close. This is the least number of goals among the clubs in the top six on the table even though they are in third position with ENPPI, who are 11th on the table, even outscoring them as they have 43 goals to their credit.

Their Portuguese coach, Augusto Inacio, whose future in the team remains questionable after club chairman Mortada Mansour told a radio station on Sunday that “all Inacio’s staff (have been) sacked, the technical, medical and administrative,’’ also blamed the team’s shortcomings in front of goal.

“Zamalek have given their worst-ever performance under my guidance, wasting very easy chances,” he told Al Ahram, the most widely read newspaper in Egypt with a daily circulation of more than a million, after Sunday’s game.

Other reports said the board delayed their decision on the coach’s future until after Sunday’s game against Al Ahli Tripoli where Zamalek will be allowed 10 000 fans to back them to a possible victory.

The last big centre forward from sub-Saharan Africa to be recruited by Zamalek was Ghanaian striker Junior Agogo whose three-year deal earned the player 1,5 million euros.

CAPS United could also lose Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo, Tafadzwa Rusike and Ronald Pfumbidzai, their goalscoring left wingback, thans to their impressive Champions League performances.

There has been a scramble for Zimbabwean talent with Warriors talisman Khama Billiat on the radar of English Premiership side Swansea, who will miss a potential goalscorer, Ki Sung-Yueng of South Korea, at the start of the season, because of a knee injury.

Ki recently underwent surgery in his native country. The Swans have already recruited teenage striker Tammy Abraham on loan from English Premiership champions Chelsea as they try to add firepower to their attack.

Another Warriors’ forward, Prince Dube, is on the radar of South African Premiership side Ajax Cape Town and, according to the COSAFA website, the Highlanders star is expected to remain in that country for further assessment when the regional tournament comes to an end.

Dube has caught the eye at this year’s competition with his direct running, pace and a good football brain and, given his age, Ajax Cape Town could gamble in developing him into a star.

Another highly rated teenage Zimbabwean forward, Leeroy Mavhunga of Yadah Stars, only played two games for the Warriors at the 2017 COSAFA Castle Cup before he was released to fly to Portugal for trials with Portuguese giants Benfica.

Mavhunga has exploded on the domestic Premiership this year and coach Sunday Chidzambwa thrust him into action in South Africa where, after a jittery start in the first half against Mozambique, he grew in confidence to show his qualities.

Liberty Chakoroma, one of the unsung heroes of the Warriors’ COSAFA Castle Cup campaign, is wanted by Chippa United who have already enquired about him while Ocean Mushure and Ovidy Karuru, who have been the stand-out players, suddenly find themselves with a number of clubs in South Africa showing interest in their services.

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