By Milton Mashasha Sports Reporter in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
Bulaqayo, Zimbabwe (News of The South) – The former Masvingo United attacking midfielder maestro Ovidy Karuru’s inclusion in Zdravko Logarusic 24 man provisional Warriors squad for the back to back Africa Cup of Nation qualifiers against the Reigning Champions the Desert Foxes of Algeria in a weeks time with the return leg expected at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The inclusion of the creative slippery midfielder Ovidy has brought a lot of mixed feelings with others raising concerns over the fitness of the player.
The player who featured regularly in the Warriors squad under the guidance of Sunday ‘Mhofu’ Chidzambwa in the previous Afcon finals is currently unattached.
The player is not active in terms of competitive football although he might be working alone which might not be enough for selection for a high level competition.
Ovidy Karuru parted ways with the South African DStv premier league top side Stellbosch. Since his departure from the club Ovidy is yet to get a Club.
Surprisingly, Zdravko Logarusic the Croatian expatriate went on to call him for national duty relying on the previous Warriors performance.
Zdravko said Karuru’s inclusion was due to his commitment and moreover he was not injured irregardless of non-active participation in the World of Football for a long period since his fall out with his former paymasters Stellbosch.
Fitness and current performance is very important in team selection.
It raises eye brows on which criteria was used when players are chosen.
If previous performances are to go by then Edmore Sibanda, George Chigova, Nyasha Mushekwi and Knox Mutizwa just to mention but a few would have been in that squad.
Ovidy Karuru is a good player no doubt about that, but the fact that he is not attached to any club he needed time to find a club that can take him aboard and pick himself up from there, fight for a Warriors place if the technical team is convinced with his fitness and performance after assessment.
Currently, players like Tinotenda Kadewere in France playing for Ligue 1 outfit Lyon as well as Marshall Munetsi of the same league at Stade De Reims and Prince Dube for Azam in Tanzania as well as Terrence Dzukamanja in South Africa playing for Orlando Pirates, their performances speaks volumes, yes of course they might fail to perform as expected in the Warriors colours but their current form they deserve national duty call up.
It’s early days to raise an alarm or the Red flag for the newly appointed Warriors gaffer Zdravko Logarusic whose only match in charge was the game against the Flames of Malawi in Blantyre where they played a goalless draw in a FIFA international friendly of which he mustn’t be blamed for the team selection, he is yet to come to know the players and cast the net wide to get the players that fits his type and style of play.
#Go Warriors Go.
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