ZIMBABWE’S preparations for the opening 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi got off to a false start yesterday following indications that there were problems in the camp. The Warriors had been scheduled to get their preparations for the February 29 clash away in Bujumbura under way with an afternoon session at Rufaro.

But coach Rahman Gumbo and his troops were conspicuous by their absence from Rufaro due to some undisclosed problems in the Warriors camp.

They are now scheduled to begin their preparations this morning with some of the foreign contingent that has already arrived and the few local players who have been included in Gumbo’s squad.

Zifa chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze played down talk of problems in the Warriors camp and said yesterday that the start of the training had been pushed forward by a day to allow the players to troop into camp.

Mashingaidze said only three foreign-based players — Kaizer Chiefs newboy Abbas Amidu and the Botswana-based pair of Mandla Sibanda and Arnold Chaka — had come in with the bulk of the South African contingent expected to start arriving today.

The Zifa chief executive also said England-based defender Onismor Bhasera, who is set to make a comeback after a long spell on the sidelines due to a knee injury, was scheduled to fly in from South Africa this morning.

“The coaches felt they would use the rest of today to give the players a chance to come in and join camp but definitely tomorrow morning the business of training will start.

“Some of the foreign-based players have started coming and we have three so far but the majority will be coming in from South Africa tomorrow.

“Bhasera is already in South Africa and will come in tomorrow,’’ Mashingaidze said.

Other players expected to come from Johannesburg are the veteran midfield duo of Mamelodi Sundowns’ Esrom Nyandoro and Tinashe Nengomasha of Kaizer Chiefs, seasoned AmaZulu goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini and his club mate and Warriors newboy Carlington Nyadombo.

Mashingaidze said former Dynamos midfielder Archieford Gutu — who now plies his trade in Sweden — is also expected to arrive this afternoon while the returning pair of veterans Musa Mguni and big defender Dickson Choto are due in tomorrow.

“Musa Mguni will come in on Thursday after playing for his club in a midweek game’’.

But talisman Knowledge Musona and Belgian-based defender Vusa Nyoni will once again have to contend with joining their teammates at the match venue. Musona who plays for German Bundesliga side TSG Hoffenheim has league commitments at his club over the weekend and with the Warriors scheduled to fly out to Bujumbura on Sunday morning, Zifa have made arrangements that he flies direct to the Burundi capital.

It will be the same story with Nyoni.

In the Warriors’ last away Nations Cup qualifying assignment, Musona, Nyoni and the suspended Ovidy Karuru had to fly direct from Europe to Praia for Zimbabwe’s match against Cape Verde, albeit on a 2-1 losing cause.

Zifa had hoped to improve on the Warriors’ poor travelling on the continent but with the game in Bujumbura being a midweek tie, coupled with the complications of flying on the continent, the era of flying in batches appears to be still part of their life.

It was also not immediately clear when Cyprus-based defender Noel Kaseke and Quincy Antipas who plays in Denmark would join camp as efforts to get a clearer picture from new team manager Nyika Chifamba hit a brickwall.

Chifamba — thrown into the deep end following Zifa’s surprise move to appoint him as Shariff Mussa’s replacement — appears to have been overwhelmed by his new task and has opted to even duck the media instead.

That development has also left Mashingaidze having to come in and chip on Warriors matters.

The Swallows, as Burundi are affectionately known have never qualified for the African Cup of Nations but they have been a regular feature at the regional Cecafa tournament, which features such teams like Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

Gumbo has, however, amassed a lot of experience from coaching in different leagues on the continent to note that his new-look Warriors cannot underestimate the Swallows. Some of Burundi’s most popular players include their skipper and former Kaizer Chiefs defender Valery Nahayo who now turns out of for Belgian top-flight side Genk.

Nahayo leads a cast of a few foreign-based players in the squad based in Poland, Norway and Netherlands  while  the bulk of the players will come  from local Burundi teams.

Warriors Squad:

Goalkeepers:

Tapuwa  Kapini (AmaZulu, South Africa), Marlon Jani (Motor Action), George Chigova (Dynamos).

Defenders:

Carlington Nyadombo (AmaZulu, South Africa) Tapiwa Khumbuyani (CAPS United), Noel Kaseke (AC Omonia, Cyprus), Onesimor Bhasera (Plymouth Argyle, England), Godfrey Moyo (Motor Action), Dickson Choto (Legia Warsaw, Poland), Obert Moyo (CAPS United), Arnold Chaka (Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Botswana)

Midfielders:

Tinashe Nengomasha, Abbas Amidu (Kaizer Chiefs, SA), Esrom Nyandoro (Mamelodi Sundowns, SA), Vusa Nyoni (KFC Germinal Beerschot, Belgium), Denver Mukamba (Dynamos), Archieford Gutu (Kalmer, Sweden), Quincy Antipas (Sønderjyske, Denmark), Mandla Sibanda (Botswana Meat Commission)

Strikers:

Terrence Mandaza (Platinum Stars, SA), Roderick Mutuma (Dynamos), Charles Sibanda, Donald Ngoma (FC Platinum), Knowledge Musona (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany), Musa Mguni (FC Terek Grozny, Russia).