Mzava not bitter with exclusion
South Africa-based defender Limbikani ‘Pupa’ Mzava says he is not bitter with his exclusion from the Flames squad to face South Sudan and Uganda in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.
He was responding to a question on whether his exclusion has anything to do with the injury that reduced him to a sideshow for weeks.
“I am fully fit and I am playing for my club [Highlands Park]. Just yesterday [Saturday], I played a full game in a [Premier Soccer] League match against Stellenbosch.
“The coach [Meck Mwase] is aware of my current condition. I got in touch with him and informed him that I was available for selection.
players rests with the coaches
“It could be that I was not on their plans for the coming games which is normal. The discretion of choosing players rests with the coaches and I have no problems with that. But maybe it’s them [coaching panel] that are better placed to respond to that,” he said from his Johannesburg base.
The former Bloemfontein Celtic and Golden Arrows defender also said he appreciates that no one is guaranteed a place in the national team.
“If other players are doing better than me then I have to support them because it is a national cause and that’s what matters.”
He also wished the Flames the best of luck on Wednesday when they face the Bright Stars of South Sudan before travelling to Uganda to face the Cranes on November 18.
However, Flames team manager James Sangala yesterday declined to comment on the issue.
But last week he told The Nation that the coaches had decided not to make changes.
“Consistency is of paramount importance. We do not want to fix something that is not broken.
“The current group has done well since Meck took charge of the team. We cannot afford to be changing the team every time,” he said.
Mzava, who officially is still the captain and one of the longest-serving members of the Flames squad, last featured for the Flames against Morocco’s Atlas Lions in September last year in a 2019 Afcon qualifier in Casablanca.
Since then, he has either excused himself from national duty due to injuries or has dropped from the squad.
