With the international break on the horizon and the Warriors set to utilize it by taking part in an invitational four-nations tournament, all eyes are on head coach Marian Marinica, as well as the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA).
Marinica will lead his charges in the tournament- which also features Botswana, Zambia and Malawi, at the Obeditani Chilume Stadium in Francistown between March 23-31.
The build up to the tournament will likely be dominated by discussions on whether or not Marshall Munetsi will be included in the squad.
Munetsi was not part of the Warriors squad which did duty at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco, as ZIFA said he was injured, while the Mabvuku-bred midfielder insisted he was not.
Munetsi even went to the extent of writing on Facebook accusing ZIFA of having other reasons of not including him in the squad for the continental spectacle- claims the country’s football governing body vehemently denied.
“Following Mr. Marshall Munetsi’s expressed willingness to represent Zimbabwe despite the injury, ZIFA formally requested a written letter of consent and a liability waiver from his club,” ZIFA said in a statement then.
“This documentation is a critical prerequisite under the FIFA Club Protection Programme, which
governs compensation, insurance exposure, and liability management where professional players, particularly those carrying injuries, are released for international “A” matches.
“Mr. Marshall Munetsi was duly advised that the required club consent and liability waiver had
not been received and was kept informed of the status of this process.
“However, by the time
the CAF deadline for AFCON squad submission was reached, the mandatory documentation remained outstanding.
“In the absence of these clearances, ZIFA could not lawfully, responsibly, or ethically include Mr. Marshall Munetsi in the final squad, as doing so would have exposed both the Association and the player’s club to uninsured risk and regulatory non- compliance under the FIFA Club Protection Programme.”
While the circumstances regarding Munetsi’s exclusion from the Warriors squad for AFCON 2025 are highly debatable, what’s not up for discussion is the form the soft-spoken midfielder has hit ahead of the international break.
He has scored three goals in the last three Ligue 1 match for Paris FC- the French top-flight club he is at, on loan from English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Marinica has kept very tight lid on the Munetsi situation, and only time will tell whether or not he will select the former Orlando Pirates star, whom he did not visit during his much published European tour of Warriors players abroad.
