Hamburger SV midfielder Jonah Fabisch has turned his back to Germany and will play international football for Zimbabwe, according to Zimbabwe national team manager Wellington Mpandare.
Fabisch was born in the Zimbabwe capital of Harare but moved to north Munster at the age of five and has gone on to represent Germany at Under-18 level since joining the Red Shorts.
Mpandare revealed on today he met Fabisch in Hamburger and the player, who is son the most celebrated coach for Zimbabwe national team the late Reinhard Fabisch, and the HSV player confirmed his intention to represent Zimbabwe.
Mpandare revealed he met Fabisch in Hamburger and the player, who is son to the most celebrated coach for Zimbabwe national team, the late Reinhard Fabisch, confirmed his intention to represent Zimbabwe.
“I can confirm that Jonah Fabisch’s papers are in order and he is ready if the Warriors technical team thinks that he can play a role in the team,” said Mpandare in an interview with Nehanda Radio.
“We will send off all the necessary paperwork to FIFA now and we hope to have everything concluded within two or three months,” he added in a separate interview.
“I am very happy for this because he is a good player.”
The 17-year-old is now likely to feature in Warriors last 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at home on March 22, where Zimbabwe need to avoid defeat to be assured of progression to the biannual showpiece.
The young Fabisch has a Zimbabwean mother, Chawada Kachidza, who is a former hurdler from Mutoko but now lives in Hamburg, Germany.
She was at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as a member of the International Athletics Associations Federation (IAAF)’s Future Stars programme.
His late father, Reihard Fabisch was in charge of the Warriors between 1992 and 1995. Full of energy, colour and a tad bit controversial, he was at the helm of most things good with Zimbabwean football in the last 20 years.
Though his “dream team” never qualified for a major tournament, the epoch remains perched on the uppermost of those who saw them in action.
The team also laid a strong foundation for subsequent sides and qualification for the African Cup of Nations finals has now become a routine for Zimbabwe.
Fabisch, was also Kenya national team head coach before crossing to Zimbabwe after guiding Harambee Stars to the final of the 1987 All Africa Games. Later, he came back and coached Stars for two un-successful stints.
His last job was with Benin national team at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nation before his death a year later at the age 57 after a long battle with cancer.
