Logarusic rues his fate

Tadious Manyepo

Sports Reporter
FOR the umpteenth time, Warriors coach, Zdravko Logarusic, is ruing fate.

The Croatian gaffer has been dealt a huge blow, ahead of the crunch 2021 AFCON qualifiers, against Botswana and Zambia, this month.

The Warriors travel to Botswana on March 25, before hosting Zambia at the National Sports Stadium, four days later.

Yet, all the UK-based players he had drafted into his squad, including Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba, will be unavailable for the decisive encounters due to the Covid-19 protocol that side.

Bournemouth’s Jordan Zemura, Tendayi Darikwa of Wigan Athletic, Luton’s Brendan Galloway as well as Admiral Muskwe, will not show up for the upcoming matches.

Striker David Moyo, who plays for Hamilton Academical in the Scottish Premiership is also a huge doubt.

Tino Kadewere, who plays for Lyon in the French Ligue 1 as well as Marshal Munetsi, who turns out for Stade Raims, have both been ruled out.

“It’s a difficult situation we find ourselves in. It’s so disappointing but that’s what’s there,” said Loga.

“We named a strong team for the upcoming matches with the best players at our disposal.

“But, we cannot have all of them because of the Covid-19 situation and protocol in other countries.

“For that reason, we will not have all the players that we would have liked to see coming.” This will not be the first time Loga has been deprived of an ideal situation.

He couldn’t get a full complement of his team, in his first game in charge of the Warriors, for an international friendly against Malawi, in Blantyre, last year.

Loga also failed to get all the players he had called into camp, for the back-to-back 2021 AFCON qualifiers, against Algeria.

He had included Munetsi, Macaulay Bonne and the United States-based duo of Tatenda Mkuruva and Tendai Jirira, in that team.

Zimbabwe lost the first leg 1-3 in Algiers, before they came from 0-2 down to force a 2-2 draw in Harare.

Loga was again forced to take a bunch of inactive players to the CHAN finals.

Zimbabwe lost to hosts Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Mali to exit the competition without picking a point.

“We went to the tournament with a group of players who had not kicked a ball in a competitive match for over 13 months.

“It was always going to be difficult, the players were rusty and the general lack of co-ordination was telling.

“The situation wasn’t ideal. I am not trying to have some excuses, for the disastrous performance but, surely, players who haven’t played competition football for over a year cannot perform miracles.”

Yet Loga could be forced to field some of the home-based players, with the rate at which foreign-based stars, are withdrawing from these upcoming two ties.

“Like I said, it’s never ideal. The coronavirus pandemic has weakened everything. But, I am not saying we want to justify poor performance.

“But, surely, in crucial matches, like the upcoming ones, you will need to have all your players in the team.

“Unfortunately, that is not the case. We will see who comes, and who fails to come, and plan from that.”