The Maravi Post

...as Mzava gets rusty at Celtic

MZUZU--Flames veteran hit man Esau Kanyenda is reported to be undergoing trials with Angolan Girabola Premier League’s Kabuscorp Sport Clube do Palanca.

The club recently made headlines when they signed Brazilian World Cup winner Rivaldo.

South African agent Alexei Bondarenko facilitated the trials with Kabuscorp who are coached by his Russian father Viktor Bondarenko.

“He is training with the Angolan team which is currently camping here in South Africa. I do not know the duration of the trials,” Alexei confirmed in a telephone interview with Malawi’s leading daily, The Nation.

Kanyenda, who seems to be over with Russian football having been there since 2003, went to South Africa last week.

Angola-based Flames defender James Sangala, now on loan at Benfica from Premeiro de Agosto, hopes Kanyenda will make the grade.

“It will be good to have Esau here. You know, when you have someone from your country close, it is like you have a brother. On top of that, we have been friends in the national team for a long time,” Sangala told the paper from Brazil where he is on camp tour with his club.

Sangala said perks in Angola were far much better than back home.

“You should be comparing at least South Africa [with] Angola. From my experience, I think it varies from player to player. There are some in Angola who are getting more than some [players] in South Africa and vice-versa. Nevertheless, the average perks here in Angola are slightly higher than in South Africa,” he said.

The Angolan side Kanyenda is training with has four foreign-based players.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Bloemfontein Celtic are said to have failed to justify why they signed Malawian defender Limbikani Mzava only to keep him idle for close to a year.

The Nation asked Celtic technical adviser Mich D’Avray on Monday if the team was mindful of the fact that Mzava’s national team career might be compromised after also not been registered during the January transfer window.

“He is still contracted to us for three years and he will continue his development. It is an issue of our team having the quota of five foreigners. Players’ selection is also up to the coach. It is not ideal situation,” D’Avray said in a telephone interview with the paper.

A botched up move to Israeli side Hapoel Aviv in the January transfer window means Mzava will have to wait for next year. He has not played competitive football at club level since his switch from Escom United to Celtic mid last year.

“That is the option [to go to Europe] to fast-track his career. The matter is being handled by his agent [Walter Mokoena], otherwise he has been called for the national team and after that, he returns and wait for probably next season,” D’Avray said.

It is believed Celtic miscalculated Mzava’s signing, believing that one of their defenders was destined for Europe.
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