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Wellington Mpandare

Sports Correspondent
THE English Football Association has reportedly inquired about English-born Zimbabwean footballer, McCauley Bonne, with the view of selecting him for their developmental sides, but the player has committed to playing for Zimbabwe.

According to Zimbabwe national team manager Wellington Mpandare, the Leyton Orient forward is among 25 players based abroad that have committed to playing for the Zimbabwe national team.

The 25 players are drawn from the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Spain and Germany.

Mpandare told Chronicle Sport that the English FA had recently written to Zifa to inquire if Bonne has a senior national team cap, as that would make him ineligible to play for the Three Lions.

Bonne played one match for the Warriors away to Morocco, which was not classified as a cap. Subsequent call-ups came to naught as he was either unavailable due to personal reasons or injury.

“We received an inquiry from the English FA, who wanted to find out if Bonne has a full national team cap. Apparently they want to pick him for one of their developmental teams, which I understand is a third string side for the senior English team,” Mpandare revealed.

He also revealed that Nottingham Forest’s Tendai Darikwa and Celtic starlet Kundai Benyu had also committed their future to the Warriors.

Benyu was among young players lauded by the Scottish champions coach Brendan Rodgers following a solid display against Kilmarnock that they won 2-0.

Benyu started the match in an attacking midfield position. The Warriors’ manager dispelled speculation that the pair are unwilling to play for the national team.

“Darikwa and Benyu have recommitted to playing for us in the future. They have been committed for a while, but their presence in the team is the coach’s choice, so Zimbabweans must know that they have not been seen in a Warriors’ strip because they have not been called up for tactical reasons, not because they don’t want to play for Zimbabwe,” Mpandare said.

He said Zifa had adequate funds to fly the players if called up, and also indicated that Sport and Recreation Minister Makhosini Hlongwane had pledged to assist the players to acquire passports.

“Zifa has the funding to fly in any of the players if they are called up, while the Minister of Sport and Recreation has also pledged to ensure that they get passports if need be,” Mpandare revealed.

Players committed to the Warriors include Kelly Lunga (son of former Warrior, Max Makanza), who plays in Germany, Yaser Chapfika, who plies his trade for Vilassar De Mar in the Spanish fourth tier league and Burnley youngster Kwazikeni Mpofu. Thando Velaphi plays for Shonan Bellmare in the Japanese J-League Division, while Lucky Mkhosana plays for New York Cosmos in the American Soccer League, the second division of the United States’ Major League Soccer.

Players committed to Warriors

Tinashe Marowa (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand), Felix Metzler (Stuttgater Kickers, Germany), Yaser Chapfika (Vilassar De Mar, Spain), Tendai Darikwa (Nottingham Forest, England), Kundai Benyu (Celtic, Scotland), Tinashe Chikwana (Burnley, England), McCauley Bonne (Leyton Orient, England), Shepard Murombedzi (Solihull Moors, England), Adam Chicksen (Bradford City, England), Thando Velaphi (Shonan Bellmare, Japan), Lucky Mkhosana (New York Cosmos, USA), Tristan Nydam (Ipswich, England), Kwazikeni Mpofu (Burnely, England), Cliff Moyo (Halifax, England), Lyle Orange (Winston, England), Leroy Munyorovi (MFK Mistek, Czech Republic), Salad Machemba (Vancouver White Caps, Canada), Joe Magunda (Leamington, England), Kelly Lunga (Bonner SC, Germany), Crispen Ncube (Slate Moravce, Slovakia), Tendai Chitiza (FK CSK Pivara, Serbia), Leon Chiwara (Livingstone, Scotland), Cecil Nyoni (Gainsborough, England) and Talent Ndlovu