Date Of Article: 5/29/2003
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Rostov give Kanyenda deadline
By: Garry Chirwa
Russian club Rostov on Thursday made it clear that if Fam does not send a return air ticket for striker Essau Kanyenda by close of business Friday, the player will not be released for next weekend’s Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles. Kanyenda said in a telephone interview from Russia that his club has given him a call-off point because it is preparing for the Russian Cup final match against Spartak Moscow scheduled for June 15. “The club’s management is worried that Fam has not responded to the letter on the conditions of my release and, in addition to that, they have not yet sent the return air ticket,” explained Kanyenda. The Flames hitman added that Rostov technical panel has told him that if the ticket is not sent by Friday, he should be ruled out of the Eagles engagement. “We have a league game in Moscow on Saturday and the following day the team is supposed to leave for Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for camping in preparation for the cup final and all they want from Fam is my travel itinerary,” said Kanyenda. “But apart from that they have no problems, they have already given me the green light to travel to Nigeria.” But Fam marketing and public relations officer Isabel Maziya assured later on Thursday that Kanyenda’s ticket will be sent Friday. “There is no cause for panic, we are sending air tickets for Kanyenda as well as Dan Chitsulo and Russell Mwafulirwa tomorrow morning, they will fly straight to Lagos,” said Maziya. But Germany-based Chitsulo, who plays for Cologne FC’s reserve side, is on the horns of a dilemma on whether he will make it to Lagos for the match because his team has two crucial matches. “To be honest with you, I am not very sure whether I will make it because we have two crucial games from which we need a point to be assured of continued stay in the Third Bundesliga. “The coach has told me that he needs my services for the games, especially the one coming up on Sunday. If we get a win or just a draw then he might release me to join the national team but if we lose then it will be difficult since I will have to feature in our last game,” explained Chitsulo. “If it works out then Fam will have to send me a ticket to Nigeria because the ticket that I have is from Germany to Malawi booked for June 9 for off-season holiday.” Chitsulo also tore into Fam over how he was treated before the first leg against the Eagles in Blantyre. “I was very, very disappointed with the way Fam treated me. They informed me that I would be needed for the match. I packed my bags but on the 11th hour I got a call from Mr. Hardly Mumba that Fam would not be able to send me a ticket. “What was worrying was that they did not even bother to pick up the phone and tell me that I had been cancelled on their plans, I heard it from somebody else,” said Chitsulo. Both Kanyenda and Chitsulo missed last Sunday’s Castle Cup quarterfinal match against Botswana in Gaborone because of tight schedules of their respective clubs.
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