WARRIORS benefactor and Prophetic Healing Deliverance Ministries leader Walter Magaya yesterday pledged to continue supporting the senior men’s national football team after he accommodated them at his luxurious facility in Waterfalls, Harare, as they prepare for their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Liberia.
by KEVIN MAPASURE
The Warriors will be accommodated at the hotel until they leave camp after their match which will be played on June 11 at the National Sports Stadium.
Magaya told reporters after the team’s training session at the stadium which is at the picturesque facility that he would take care of the entire Warriors’ camping needs, pledging he will also support them for future matches.
“I feel that the Warriors bring unity to football, players from Highlanders, Dynamos and Caps have to shake hands. With that feeling since I am also into football, I thought that I should just assist as they unite for the game against Liberia. So what I have done is to give them accommodation and all they need ahead of their game,” Magaya said. “I have always said that Yadah FC can disappear, but the Warriors will always be there, my passion is not about football, but about the people. So it’s an issue of uplifting my people, my prayer is that they go high, I am a Zimbabwean, I want to uplift my country. I have given them everything they have asked for and they have said this is the best camping they have had, so I am so proud to have provided that. I will always be there for them anytime they need me.”
Until the Warriors decide to use the match venue for training they will be using the hotel stadium which has got a flat, soft and lush green surface.
In the past Magaya has donated in cash and kind to the Warriors as well as the national women’s team.
His latest support has come as a major lift with Zifa struggling for funds.
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Before the 2017 Afcon finals, Zifa wanted to use its lodgings in Mount Hampden for the Warriors accommodation, but the players declined to stay there.
Coach Norman Mapeza (pictured) said he was pleased with their camping conditions.
The team had their first training session yesterday afternoon with 15 players, mostly drawn from the local league, taking part.
Midfielder Thabani Kamusoko, defender Eric Chipeta and Ovidy Karuru, who plays his football in South Africa, are the three foreign-based players that were in camp yesterday.
Netherlands-based Marvelous Nakamba, as well as Danny Phiri and Kuda Mahachi, who play for Golden Arrows in South Africa, are expected to have joined camp today.
“So far so good. We are expecting more guys in the evening, we should have at least 20 guys by tomorrow (today),” Mapeza said. “We are still waiting to hear from Caps on the injuries to Edmore Sibanda and Denis Dauda, we have already brought in Lincoln Zvasiya and George Chigova, it’s going to be a long training camp so you never know what will happen and in that case we need to have enough cover. We will release the Caps United players tomorrow morning since they have a game on Friday, then at the weekend we will release everyone since we also have league matches coming.”
Caps United take on Al Ahli Tripoli in a Caf Champions League Group B match on Friday and Ronald Chitiyo as well as Devon Chafa, who are in the Warriors camp will be allowed to return to their club today. The rest of the players will break camp at the weekend to regroup after their club commitments on Monday.
