By Paul Jones
Andy Rinomhota is hoping his new-found form at Cardiff City could eventually lead to him fulfilling his international dreams.
The 25-year-old Leeds-born midfielder has quickly become a key cog in the new look Bluebirds side since joining from Reading in the summer.
Having helped to deliver four points from the first two games in charge by interim boss Mark Hudson, Rinomhota is now hoping to add three more at Wigan on Saturday.
That would not only continue his side’s run, but also let the Zimbabwe football officials know that he still has the ability to step up onto the international stage.
Qualified to play for Zimbabwe – nicknamed the Warriors – via his father, who was born there, 25-year-old Rinomhota was close to playing for them in 2018, when he was named in their provisional squad for the South Africa Cup.
Legal wrangles and injury stopped him from making his debut, but now he is considering applying for a local passport.
“The time they called me up I was injured, so I couldn’t go. Since then, it has been a case of applying for a Zimbabwean passport to qualify,” said Rinomhota.
💙 @andyrinomhota #CityAsOne pic.twitter.com/LWGvgR6J1j
— Cardiff City FC (@CardiffCityFC) June 25, 2022
“I haven’t started that process yet, but it is something I’m going to look into. The African Nations Cup is a great place to showcase your abilities and it would be another experience from which I could add something to my game.
“It is very tempting and it would be great to experience international football, but I need a Zimbabwean passport.
“At the moment the international breaks are key rest periods, especially if you are playing in the Championship, so it is a case of weighing up one against the other.
“But the prospect of playing international football is very alluring and it would be a whole new experience for me.”
Wigan have a current Zimbabwean international in their squad in defender, Tendayi Darikwa, and there are other players in England like Jordan Temura, at Bournemouth, Macauley Bonne, at QPR, and Tawanda Maswanhise, at Leicester City.
In Wales, Zimbabwean international Alec Mudimu is playing regularly for Caernarfon Town, who currently lay sixth in the JD Cymru Premier.
Having made 125 appearances in the Championship for Reading during a seven-year spell in their club’s academy and senior side, Rinomhota felt the time was right to make a change in the summer.
When Cardiff expressed interest, and he heard first-hand the plans for a new team and style, he jumped at the chance of a new beginning.
“I felt I needed to step away from Reading and accept a new challenge, having been there for a number of years,” explained the England-born player.
The perfect way to mark 100 appearances for the club.
Here’s to the next 100, @andyrinomhota 🙌 #readingfc pic.twitter.com/aZI9XvcSfP
— Talk Reading (@TalkReading) January 19, 2021
“I liked what Steve Morison, the old manager, had to say about the new project at the club.
“It’s the first time I’ve changed clubs in my career and it has been very easy because there were 17 new players brought it.
“It’s dog-eat-dog in the Championship, it is so competitive and very relentless, anyone can beat anyone. We are three points off the play-off places and so we are still in touch to be in contention.”
Cardiff are looking for back-to-back victories for the first time this season and caretaker boss Hudson said: “There is always a first time so we are going to go up there with a bit of confidence from the (Blackburn) game and the way we have played over the last two.
“But as I have said already, you have to play with that intensity and togetherness at home or away.”
Wales international Rubin Colwill is still sidelined with a hip flexor injury.