Yet behind the
scenes, drama has erupted since the squad first assembled.
Rumours flooded
social media claiming several players had been abruptly released under the
convenient label of “injuries,” and fans were left wondering whether the
technical team was quietly trimming the squad. Some insiders even insisted a
few players were perfectly fit when they were dismissed to allow introduction
of some preferred players from powerful cartels.
Marinica,
however, brushed off the speculation.
Speaking after
the third day of his training, Marinica maintained confidence in his squad and
the support staff, insisting that the Afcon-bound side is focused on preparing
at the required level.
“The players
are training very well. They are hard-working. We qualified for Afcon, and we
must compete at that level. Everyone is supporting us; all is well,” said the
coach, choosing optimism over the swirling controversy.
Just as the
noise reached its peak, Fifa threw an unexpected curveball, confirming that
foreign-based players would only be released from 15 December, a full week
later than anticipated. The delay means the Warriors could be without several
key players until the very last stretch of preparation.
“Things have
been pushed back a little bit. We expected some players sooner. We’re not sure
what’s going to happen, unfortunately but it is what it is,” Marinica admitted.
By midweek,
public frustration had reached boiling point. Zifa was forced to step in after
a wave of withdrawals sparked outrage and accusations of mismanagement. With
fans demanding clarity, the association issued a detailed medical briefing to
put out the fire.
Zifa defended
the integrity of the call-up process, stating that every decision followed
proper medical checks including scans, physical examinations and GPS load
readings from the opening training days.
Marinica said:
“The fitness element is critical because you have to be able to sustain
high-intensity activity and play at least two matches of 90 minutes each. We
need the fittest players possible.”
But with
Morocco 2025 fast approaching, one question hangs in the air, will the Warriors
rise above the chaos or will the chaos define their campaign?
Zimbabwe are in
the same group with South Africa, Egypt and Angola. Herald
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