Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HAVING only three days of training with the full squad isn’t an impediment for Warriors coach Marian “Mario” Marinica, who conducted his first practice session with all his players for the first time in Morocco last night ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Romanian gaffer spent three weeks with 20 of the 28-member team in Zimbabwe before flying to North Africa on Tuesday where they linked up with the other eight.
The AFCON gets underway in Rabat on Sunday with hosts Morocco taking on Comoros before Zimbabwe plunge into battle against Egypt on Monday in one of the two Group B matches scheduled for the same day.
Marinica has always registered his worries given the limited time he would have with all his players ahead of Mon-day’s match, especially after FIFA ruled that clubs would only be mandated to release players a few days before the tournament kicks-off.
But he stressed last night that there is no time to think of what could have been but he would rather concentrate on fine-tuning his squad.
The Warriors first loosened up in a recovery session in the mid-morning with all, but one player sitting out.
With seven players — Bill Antonio, Tawanda Chirewa, Tawanda Maswanhise, Andy Rinomhota, Brendon Galloway, Jonah Fabisch and Munashe Garan’anga — arriving earlier, Sean Fusire joined in a bit late and he had to be excused from the first session.
But everyone took part in last night’s training with Marinica eager to get the best out of every player as he began to shape the team for the big battle.
“It’s a process. I am happy with what I have seen so far. I just hope we will get the momentum going,” said Marinica.
“What we all need to do is unite for the common Warriors cause.
The philosophy is something that we have to build over time but the signs are very good.
“We all know that we are in Morocco to compete. If it wasn’t for that we wouldn’t have been in Morocco.”
The players also have to quickly adjust to the low temperatures prevailing in North Africa with Morocco midway through its winter season.
Temperatures often hit the sub 10 Degrees Celsius range.
ZIFA, in statement, remained hopeful the tie between arrival and their opening match will allow Marinica and his men to settle into the Mediterranean climate.
“We had to make sure that the Warriors are in Morocco five or six days before our first match against Egypt for them to fully acclimatise to the prevailing weather conditions.
“We are hopeful that by the time we play our first game, the players will have fully adjusted to everything. We wish the Warriors all the best,’’ the association said.
Zimbabwe have never broken out of the group stages in five appearances at the AFCON which began in Tunisia in 2004.
They however, arrived in Morocco with renewed optimism that this could be their big chance to get it right this time, especially with a coach who has been at such a competition before now in charge.
