Disgraced Warriors return home

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
The disgraced Warriors’ squad returns home on Thursday from a disastrous Cosafa Cup in South Africa.

The Warriors again failed to win a single match, losing twice to Namibia and a youthful and inexperienced Senegal, and drawing twice with Mozambique and Malawi to bow out of a tournament they have previously dominated and currently hold the titles record with six.

“We are coming home today,” said Zifa communications and competitions manager Xolisani Gwesela.

However, what stunned the Warriors’ fans were the post-match interviews by the underfire gaffer Zdravko Logarušić, who said he was trying out combinations, giving clubless players game time and also blamed fatigue on the part of players.

He then declared that the Warriors were not in South Africa to win the Cosafa Cup.

“For me, looking forward, I was using this tournament to make an assessment of the CHAN team. I was using this tournament to see if any player is ready to come to the national team (for the Caf finals and World Cup qualifiers) and I saw two or three players, who can be part of the national team.

“The rest of them will be in the CHAN team and we have to focus to bring more players from the other clubs, and that’s a good learning process.

“I think with results, we were a bit unlucky, but anyway, fatigue affected us,” Loga told the media.

The 0-2 loss to Namibia ignited the worst rage, with fans calling for Loga’s head.

Our Harare Bureau raged: “In the one-and-half years, in which he has masqueraded as a national team coach, Loga has dragged the team backwards, with his questionable tactics, poor selection and petty personal fights with players. And, his one win, in 11 matches, represents the WORST return by a foreign coach in charge of the Warriors in the team’s history.”