Zimbabwe: Mhlauri Wants Former Skipper Ndlovu Back in Warriors

August 18, 2006
Posted to the web August 18, 2006

Harare

WARRIORS' coach Charles Mhlauri wants to persuade former skipper Peter Ndlovu to come out of international retirement and has set up a meeting with him in Johannesburg.

Ndlovu quit international football after the Nations Cup in Egypt in February.

But Mhlauri said he did not get official communication on that development from his skipper.

Mhlauri was in South Africa last week but did not get a chance to speak with Ndlovu on his possible comeback into the Warriors.

"I was recently in South Africa but I did not manage to see him. I usually make these trips to check up on the players but I will be going back next week.

"He is one of the players I intend to talk to and as far as I'm concerned he is a player I'm considering for selection.

"I can only take a position (about retirement) when I talk to him because he has not spoken to me about it."

Ndlovu quit after the Warriors' final game against Ghana in Ismailia, Egypt, telling the media that he was now giving a chance for younger players to express their talents.

The all-time top goal scorer for the Warriors, Ndlovu said he would not change his mind about retirement this time around.

Ndlovu first quit the national team in 2003, shortly after the Warriors secured their place at the 2004 Nations Cup finals in Tunisia. But a huge outcry from a nation that cherished his input in taking the Warriors to their maiden appearance at the Nations Cup finals forced him to change his mind.

Ndlovu is the all time Warriors top scorer with 35 goals in a career spread over 14 years. He has now set his sights on concentrating on his Mamelodi Sundowns career after two average years at the Pretoria club.

His time in South Africa has been plagued by injuries.

Last season, he was overshadowed by Esrom Nyandoro who had a glorious spell where he won the club's Player of the Year award.

Meanwhile, Mhlauri said they have not received any confirmation from Equatorial Guinea about the proposed international friendly scheduled for next month.