Date Of Article: 3/18/2003
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Mabedi accepts call-up
By: Garry Chirwa
Tough-as-a-teak defender Patrick ‘General’ Mabedi displayed loyalty of a saint to his country on Tuesday when he put aside his differences with Fam and finally accepted the national team call-up for next weekend’s vital African Nations Cup qualifier against Nigeria. Mabedi said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that his sudden change of heart follows consultations he had with Fam technical committee head Henry Moyo, close relations and friends. “I have made this decision for the love of my country. There are no conditions attached to my change of heart. I have been in touch with Mr Moyo, my personal advisors and friends and afterwards I felt its my obligation to help my country,” said Mabedi. The South Africa-based experienced defender, who turns out for Kaizer Chiefs, threw in the towel in a huff last year, retiring from the Flames alongside seasoned midfielder John Maduka allegedly after being insulted by a Fam official after the Cosafa Castle Cup second leg final against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana. “It will be up to Fam to call for a meeting to sort out the issue but to me what is important is that I serve my nation,” said the Kaizer Chiefs defender. Moyo confirmed in a separate interview having spoken to Mabedi on the issue. “I have been speaking to him for quite some time. I also had a chat with him when I went to South Africa recently and he assured me that he would come for the love of his country. “Let’s not cheat each other, we need experience against Nigeria. We have good young players in the team but they cannot stand on their own against a team like Nigeria. The coach should assess them next week and see if they can fit in his plans,” said Moyo, himself a successful former national coach and player. Moyo also said he was expected to meet Flames coach Allan Gillet on Tuesday evening to discuss technical issues pertaining to the Nigeria game. “It’s not that we want to dictate to him on what he should do but as technical committee, it is our duty to advise the coaching panel on certain technical aspects,” he added. Fam public relations and marketing officer Isabel Maziya also confirmed that the association had changed its tune on foreign-based players, saying apart from Botswana-based striker Steve Bakali, all the others have been called up. She said Fam was making travel arrangements for Mabedi, Maduka, Russell Mwafulirwa, Russian-based striker Essau Kanyenda and winger Dan Chitsulo who plies his trade in Germany. “We are expecting them to start arriving early next week but it will depend on what arrangements they come up with their respective clubs,” said Maziya. However, there is still a cloud of uncertainty regarding Maduka’s availability for the match but Chitsulo who plays for Cologne FC reserve side in the Third Bundesliga, confirmed that he would leave on Saturday. “We have a league game on Friday against a team called Uedingene but the coach has given me the green light to leave on Saturday and I should arrive there on Sunday but that will depend on how soon Fam sends my air ticket,” he said. Chitsulo also claimed that he is currently enjoying his game and his lone goal against Osnapruk last month was named goal of the month. Mwafulirwa, who has become an instant hit at his new South African club Jomo Cosmos, indicated that he will jet in early next week. “We have a crucial game in the ABSA Cup against Golden Arrows this Saturday and that means I can only travel home on Sunday or Monday,” said Mwafulirwa who scored a spectacular goal against Maduka’s Bushbucks which ended in a one-all draw in Port Elizabeth at the weekend. Kanyenda’s local agent Ben Chiwaya said the player is waiting for his air ticket. “I spoke to him last night and he told me that his club Rostsmalsh has released all their three African players for the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers and if the ticket is sent in time, he will depart Moscow on Monday for Johannesburg from where he will connect to Blantyre on Tuesday,” said Chiwaya. So far, battle-hardened midfielder Ernest ‘Wire’ Mtawali is the only foreign-based player who has already joined the squad.
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