dyton mupawaenda
SO, the Zimbabwe senior soccer side, the Warriors, will get back into business for the first time this year when they resume their FIFA 2026 World Cup qualification bid.
They were last in action in November last year when they sealed their place at the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations which is scheduled for Morocco.
It will be the sixth time that Zimbabwe would be lining up alongside Africa’s top teams for the jamboree that will run in the North African country in December and into early January.
But before German coach Michael Nees and his Warriors can shift their attention to trying to become the first class of Warriors to proceed beyond the group stage at the Nations Cup, they have some World Cup qualification bid to dispense with.
Zimbabwe are bottom of Group C in the race for the expanded 48-team World Cup scheduled to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
So, in 12 days’ time, Nees will take charge of his first Warriors World Cup assignment as the German coach was not in charge when Zimbabwe got off to a horrible start, managing just two points from their opening four games and under two different coaches
It will also be the first time that Nees will be playing under the Zimbabwe Football Association’s first elected executive committee as the German was brought on board by the Normalisation Committee, which was in charge of the association for over a year.
While Normalisation Committee chairman Lincoln Mutasa and his colleagues — Rosemary Mugadza and Nyasha Sanyamandwe — may have set off into the sun after completing their mandate, the script has remained the same for the Warriors, which is to try and qualify for the World Cup and do better than previous appearances at AFCON.
Now, ZIFA are under the guidance of Nqobile Magwizi and his 10 colleagues.
Refreshingly, Magwizi and his team have come up with an approach to ensure that all national teams, whether it is the women’s juniors, or the CAF schools, are given equal attention and resources to achieve their goals.
While we commend the ZIFA approach, which immediately came to life during the Mighty Warriors’ Women’ Africa Cup of Nations, whom they afforded all the resources they needed for the qualifier against Angola, we believe that the association alone should not be left to fend for the national teams.
In Nees, we have found a professional whose approach and work ethic has reportedly charmed players, fellow coaches, the ZIFA secretariat and executive committee.
As we reported in this publication, the quest to qualify for the World Cup is not and should not be just left on the door steps of the ZIFA headquarters on Number 66 Bishop Gaul Avenue in Harare’s Milton Park suburb.
Instead, it should be a challenge to the whole nation to rally behind this team which is so long on potential.
For any team to succeed, a lot is put into the organisation in the build-up to an assignment.
Of course the lack of an approved home stadium remains a worry for the Warriors who, like any football or sporting team, thrive on having a full house backing them.
But ZIFA have made plans to stage the World Cup assignment against Benin at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on March 20 before the Warriors travel to Uyo in Nigeria to face the Super Eagles.
The coach has been hard at work assessing all the players before deciding which manpower he can assemble for the upcoming games.
More importantly is the need for corporates, the Government and individual well-wishers to chip in and help make the organisation of the Warriors assignments a success.
While they might be anchoring their long table with two points and five shy of joint leaders Rwanda, South Africa and Benin, all hope is not yet lost as there is still plenty to play for the Warriors.
They still have more matches against South Africa, Lesotho and the two assignments against Benin at home and away.
Nees believes that staying focussed and being adequately prepared and with the right organisation, Zimbabwe can turn things around.
Now the ball is in the court of this nation to ensure the German expatriate is helped to make his job of motivating the Warriors, organising them tactically and inspiring them, an achievable task.
Two good results against Benin and Nigeria could turn the tide in Zimbabwe’s favour and the Warriors need to be in the best frame of mind when they tackle the assignments.
The players’ travel from their respective bases to around the continent for assignments has to be made smooth and less tiresome in order for them to give coach Nees the best return on the pitch.
As such, we strongly believe that corporates and individuals can chip in on such tasks like provision of accommodation and the smooth travel for the qualifiers.
FIFA showed the way when they took full charge of ZIFA’s welfare during the reign of the Normalisation Committee.
Now Magwizi and crew cannot afford to drop the ball.
Instead, it is now for all concerned football stakeholders and sponsors to come to the party and guarantee a continuation of the good times that were all enjoyed when the Warriors travelled to Uganda, Huye in Rwanda and South Africa for their assignments under the FIFA-assisted and appointed Normalisation Committee.
The Warriors need support from the terraces, from the corporate and Government corridors and from the engaged support services and just probably, the whole nation could be smiling and celebrating another triumph at the end of the qualifying campaign.
It may be a tough task indeed, but it certainly is not insurmountable.
Online Reporter