The appearance of Shumaira Mheuka in the famous blue Chelsea jersey at the age of 17 has added weight to the belief that even at that age, he qualifies to play for his national team - the Zimbabwe Warriors.
Sadly those in the national team set up including German coach Michael Nees have not been forthcoming with that call up contending that Mheuka is too young and still has prove himself - What more proof do they want.
Surely, how can a player that a team as big as Chelsea can offer a role in the English Premier League - albeit from the bench - be deemed to be 'too' young for a team devoid of talent like that of the Warriors of Zimbabwe.
The same players from Scottland whom Michael Nees is gloating about are not good enough for a modest or small South African Premiership club yet Mheuka can fit into Mamelodi Sundowns or Orlando Pirates without any sweat at all.
Surely, how can one compare - even though young - a player who has broken into the EPL with players who feature in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer, a league that is failing to produce a team that goes through to the mini-league stage of the CAF Confederation Cup.
Maybe those in the national team set up can explain to us who holds a better future for the Warriors of Zimbabwe, Mheuka or Tymon Machope and who deserves to be in the Warriors squad ?
An answer is also required as to what age do we want our skilled youngsters to start turning up for the national team when the football world itself is evolving in favour of 17, 18 and 19 -year olds as Barcelona's Lamine Lamal has proved with Spain.
After all, Ghanaian football legend Abedi Ayew Pele made his international debut at the age of 17 at the 1982 Africa Cup of Nations finals in the Ivory Coast and inspired the Black Stars to the title.
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Surely, there are lot of talented young players Zimbabwe has the world over but we stand to lose them because of the old belief in immediate results rather than building a team that guarantees success and celebration in future.
Those not in the know-how, on the evening of February 25, Mheuka came off the bench as his Chelsea side romped to a 4-0 hammering of Southampton at Stamford Bridge and was unlucky not to come out without a goal himself.
It was refreshing to see another Zimbabwean featuring for such a top club on a day in which Marshall Munetsi was also on the field of play albeit on a losing cause as Wolves fell 1-2 at home to Fulham.
What more. Mheuka's introduction to the world by the game's day TV commentator as son of Zimbabwean parents was the more heartening to all Zimbabweans who watched the match.
Shumaira is son of former Zimbabwe Saints, Circle United, Sporting Lions and Gunners midfielder Malcolm Mheuka.
What is also interesting is that on the same day of Mheuka's Chelsea appearance, 21-year-old Chipinge born Munyaradzi Mwakanya had earlier that morning signed a contract with top Polish club Wislaw Krakow.
The picture clearly tells us that we have vast football talent across the globe but what are we doing to tape or use that talent to our advantage ?
Afcon 2025 presents a test case and an opportunity for Zimbabwe to give fresh inspiration the chance to take to the big stage rather than rely on players who have outlived their usefulness.
The starting point for Zimbabwe should be the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers to extent overtures of national team calls to the likes of Mheuka, Trey Nyoni, Mwakanya, and Issac Mabaya on top of the array of stars we already have.
Surely, we don't have to lie to ourselves that we can win Afcon 2025 but we should pride ourselves in the fact that we have a very competitive side by picking our strongest team and not the one that lost to Lesotho and South Africa.
Relying on players from the domestic front at Afcon 2025 would be inviting disappointment and Nees should take the World Cup Qualifiers to build a team that would be called the real Zimbabwe Warriors at Morocco 2025.
*For your comments, views, and suggestions, mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 071 0774 596 or call 0773 266 779.
