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| National |
| Russell Mwafulirwa ruled out of Kenya clash |
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by
Garry Chirwa, 31 August 2004
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10:50:56
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A bolt from the blue. The Flames were dealt a sucker punch on Monday when striker Russell Mwafulirwa ruled himself out of this weekend’s joint World Cup and Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Kenya’s Harambe Stars scheduled for Nairobi.
Mwafulirwa’s manager Ben Chiwaya dropped the missile saying it will be extremely difficult for the lanky forward to travel from France to Kenya because there are a number of obligations that he has to meet after signing a contract with a French second division side Angers SCO.
Mwafulirwa left for France on Monday afternoon to sign a year’s contract after processing his visa and insurance cover.
“I will be economical with the truth here if I say Russell will make the trip to Nairobi because after signing his contract, he will be taken for medical tests and then he will have to go the immigration offices to apply for his work permit and finally he is supposed to have a meeting with the club’s management,” said Chiwaya on Monday.
He added: “I was actually speaking to a Fifa agent called Yeremi who is handling Russell’s deal and he told me point blank that it will not be possible.”
However, Fam general secretary Roosvelt Mpinganjira expressed ignorance on the latest upshot.
“It’s news to me, I was speaking to Ben in the morning but he did not brief me on that one, anyway let me get in touch with him and hear what he will say,” said Mpinganjira.
Meanwhile Flames’ battle-hardened midfielder John Maduka said on arrival on Monday that he has let slip from his memory the issue that has forced him to miss the three recent games against Mozambique, Botswana and Guinea.
Maduka excused himself from the game against Morocco and was not called for the Cosafa Castle Cup game against Mozambique and Botswana which forced him to stay away for the Guinea match.
“That is all water under the bridge. The coach John Kaputa phoned me when he was on transit from Ghana recently to apologise that there must have been a communication breakdown somewhere. I also spoke to the general secretary Mr. Mpinganjira so I would say its sorted out.
“I have no grudge against anybody and I have come to play for my country with all my commitment,” said Maduka who flew in alongside captain Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi.
The veteran midfielder said he is enjoying a new lease of life at newly promoted Bloemfontein Celtic where he has played two league games so far drawing against Black Leopards one-all and losing to Ajax Cape Town 3-0.
The duo said they were set for the weekend battle against Kenya.
“The Kenyans have not played competitive football for sometime but they will be out to prove that they are alive and kicking. They have done well in the few strength-testing games that they have played and caution should be the order of the day,” said Maduka.
Mabedi chipped in: “I don’t know in what shape our team is because we haven’t played any game of late but we will take the game to the Kenyans.”
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