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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
WARRIORS captain Willard Katsande says it’s unfortunate that his World Cup swansong has been cruelly ended, without him kicking a ball, after it emerged that, contrary to assurances from domestic football leaders, Zimbabwe will not be part of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

It’s the first time that Zimbabwe will not be playing in the World Cup qualifiers since the country gained Independence in 1980.

The country is also the only African member of the FIFA family which will not participate in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers which have attracted a full-house of participants from the continent.

The Kaizer Chiefs hardman was preparing to launch one final assault, for a place at the globe’s greatest football showcase, in Russia in 2018 and was convinced that the country now had a team that could make a big impression in the qualifiers.

However, Katsande’s dreams have been shattered, before the Warriors have even kicked a ball, after Zimbabwe’s expulsion from the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, was confirmed when the national team was left out of Saturday’s draw in St Petersburg, Russia.

Yesterday, Katsande said it was unfortunate that his World Cup adventure would end without him fighting for his country given that he doesn’t see himself playing in another World Cup show, in four years time, because younger players would have come on board.

“For me it is over. The next qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup may start around 2019 and by that time I would be 33 years and my legs would be gone. There would be new blood in the team,” Katsande told The Herald from his base in Johannesburg where he is preparing for the new South African Premiership season with the Amakhosi.

“I believe at the moment we have good players and all the players in the team are in form at their clubs, but due to circumstances beyond us we cannot compete in the World Cup qualifiers.

“I just wish the current Under-23 will take on the baton and maybe qualify (for the 2022 World Cup finals).

“My teammates, Shabba (Siphiwe Tshabalala, Khune (Itumelang) and Letsholonyane (Reneilwe) always tell me how good it is to play at the World Cup and say it is a feeling which you can’t describe and I would also have wanted to experience that.

“But that can only be done if you participate in the qualifiers and then, maybe, qualify.”

Katsande said reports that were coming from back home, related to football, were very disturbing and did not augur well for the future of the country’s biggest sporting discipline.

“It is worrying to hear about disturbing football developments back home,” said Katsande.

“I am proud to be a Zimbabwean. We are here as ambassadors and expect good news all the time but the reports about our football we get here are always negative and depressing and it affects us here.

“It is painful and it’s a shame because even our teammates acknowledge that we are talented as a country but fail to understand how we manage our football and they sometimes even laugh at us.”

Goalkeeper, George Chigova, who was in goals when Zimbabwe took part in the COSAFA Cup tournament in South Africa recently, said it is painful to miss the qualifiers because it was every player’s dream to play at the World Cup finals.

“It is painful. It is every player’s dream to play at such a tournament. The whole country has been affected and maybe they (ZIFA) should have tried to sort it out,” said Chigova.

“By the time the next World Cup qualifiers start I would be 28 and there are a lot of young players and by that time, maybe, it will not be easy to get a jersey in that team.

“This was the perfect time for me to feature in these qualifiers. As for qualifying or not qualifying for the World Cup finals no one knows what would have happened.”

Orlando Pirates striker, Tendai Ndoro, said this was a perfect time for him to feature and make a big impression in the World Cup qualifiers.

The former Chicken Inn forward has just been snapped up by the Soweto giants and is hoping for a successful season with Pirates.

“We were looking forward to playing in the qualifiers. It is painful not to participate in the World Cup qualifiers when everyone is doing so,” said Ndoro.

“The World Cup presents so many opportunities and it doesn’t come all the time in your career and having a chance to play in the qualifiers is something that should be embraced by every player when the opportunity comes especially when one is in form as you don’t always get many chances in life.”

Goalkeeper Washington Arubi said it was heartbreaking as playing for the national team regularly, especially in the World Cup qualifiers, boosts a player’s profile at club level.

“It is so sad. As a player it is always good to represent your country by playing in the World Cup. We have never qualified for the World Cup as a nation and it was another chance to give it a go,” said Arubi.

“We are heartbroken. We were just not expecting it. Even at club level when you are playing for your national team you get a certain respect and maybe more game time.

“But now you will have to up your performance as it would be difficult as other teammates would be playing international football regularly.”

SuperSport United forward, Kingstone Nkatha, said all the players were heartbroken about the latest developments.

“We were looking forward to playing in the World Cup qualifiers and I just remember one of these days we were talking about it with Willard (Katsande),” said Nkatha.

“Everyone is heartbroken. Every player wants to play in these qualifiers and God willing play at the World Cup.”

In-form striker Nyasha Mushekwi, who is enjoying a purple patch with Swedish side Djurgården, said it was a very sad development for Zimbabwe football.