Chan suspension: Player feels robbed Xolani Ndlovu

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
NATIONAL team and Chicken Inn left-back Xolani Ndlovu feels the postponement of the Championship of African Nations (Chan) has robbed him of an opportunity to market himself outside the country’s borders.

Caf suspended Chan, which was scheduled to take place in Cameroon from April 4-25, due to the coronavirus pandemic currently ravaging the globe.

Ndlovu made his national team debut in the Chan qualifier against Mauritius and still holds dear the day he got his first national team call up.

“When I got the news, I didn’t believe that my name was on that list. Honestly, I was shocked, but excited at the same time. It was a dream come true to play for the national team. We went to Mauritius where I made my debut and it was such a great feeling,” said Ndlovu.

He was part of the squad in camp preparing for the Chan finals under new Warriors’ coach, Croation Zdravko Logaruši, before the pandemic forced virtually every form of gathering to be frozen.

“As a player the postponement of sports activities has affected me in many ways. First, I had a chance to market myself in the Chan tournament and I was also ready for the new league season to start and it too got suspended. Now I have to focus on keeping myself fit for when the new season starts whenever that is,” said Ndlovu.

He scooped the Players’ Player of the Year and joint Player of the Year at Chicken Inn’s club awards last season.

The 24-year-old defender feels Chicken Inn have assembled a formidable side to mount a serious title challenge this season.

Their only league title was in 2015 under coach Joey Antipas, who briefly left the side to join AmaZulu in South Africa before returning to take over the reins  for a second stint.

“As for the coming season, I’m expecting the team to win the championship. Personally, I expect to be on the (soccer stars) calendar and probably be the best player in the team.

“The dream obviously is to make that move abroad and play in the top leagues,” he said.

The left-back has a big chance to make a lucrative career move if he remains focused.

Before joining the Gamecocks, Ndlovu played for Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province Division Two side Zim Leopards and Tsholotsho FC.

He began his career with Iminyela Stars juniors.

The PSL and all lower division programmes are now likely to kick-off around June, by which time it’s expected that the pandemic would have subsided.

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