Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
WARRIORS coach Ramon Catala has spent the past few weeks engaged in meticulous detailing of how he wants his team to play ahead of his much-anticipated bow with the national squad.
Catala was only appointed last month and plunges into crucial assignments just four weeks into his reign when Zimbabwe kick- start their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification journey next week.
The Warriors are in Group E of the qualifiers alongside Equatorial Guinea, DR Congo and Sierra Leone, with the top two teams proceeding to the finals to be co-hosted in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya next year.
They have back-to-back opening ties against Sierra Leone in Casablanca, Morocco, on September 24 before they host DRC at the National Sports Stadium in an evening game four days later.
And the Spanish gaffer knows the work is cut out for him to clip the ticket to the PAMOJA finals, as the next edition of the AFCON is fondly called in East Africa.
Although he hasn’t had time to work with any of the players who form his squad before, Catala says he has been closely following how each of them can give him some value over the past weeks he has been in Zimbabwe.
Catala trimmed his initial 31-member provisional squad to 24 on Monday, four days after revealing he would be giving the players an extra match-day to see who could show him what he is looking for.
He couldn’t include Watford newboy Jordan Zemura, possibly taking some precaution after the former AFC Bournemouth and Udinese man hobbled out of an English Championship match against Stoke due to a strain.
Scottland forward and former Warriors captain Knowledge Musona missed action for the second week running with a knock and couldn’t be included.
But with the way Catala has been detailed with his data-based approach, things look certain to change in the positive, with all eyes on him as he ventures into unchartered territory.
“I have been following several players in and outside Zimbabwe,” said Catala.
I know how most of them play. I know their strengths and weaknesses. I am sure I will be able to get the best from their strengths.
“I love playing attacking football, and I am sure the players I have selected will give us that.
“I can’t be promising a lot, but I am really positive that we can do well. The squad has depth as I see it. I think we will do well in the upcoming games.”
Catala said his philosophy fits rightly with the calibre of players he has picked.
“I wish to see more of the players, those that I have selected and those that I haven’t selected.
“It’s about the team and the country. But I think the kind of players that we have will do really well with the style that we play.
“We are working hard fixing possible puzzles and getting the best of the situations. The type of players we have can do well.” The ex-Libya technical director revealed that he has also been closely monitoring developments in the Sierra Leone and DRC squads ahead of the crucial matches which could shape Zimbabwe’s campaign.
“We have tried all we can to study the opposition, which is Sierra Leone and DRC. We are starting with Sierra Leone first. I have watched them play in several games, and we have been watching their videos.
They have a new coach who is very tactical. We will approach that game with caution but with confidence.
“The DRC is a big team as well, but we will see when we are done with Sierra Leone.”
Catala doesn’t have any complaints so far with the ZIFA leadership doing everything to make him comfortable.
He hailed the association president Nqobile Magwizi and his executive for their professionalism with the Spanish saying the enabling environment created by ZIFA will be key in the execution of his own mandate. ZIFA, on their part are also grappling with a $2 million bill that comes with sending more national teams into battle at the same time.
Apart from the Warriors, ZIFA have committed to sending the Mighty Warriors and the national Under-23 teams into the 2028 Olympic Games qualifiers.
New Mighty Warriors coach Stella Gopal and her charges will face Malawi while Marc Sanchez, who is also Catala’s assistant, will begin his Young Warriors journey with a date against Mauritius as the Under-23 Men’s side seek a maiden ticket to the Olympics.
Following a successful inaugural BancABC Roots Impact tourney, ZIFA are also sending the Under-15 Boys team for a FIFA Junior World Cup in Uzbekistan.
Given the mammoth task of flying in players from across the globe, and the complexity associated with travelling in Africa, ZIFA have since reached out to the Government, corporate entities and individual stakeholders to chip in and help them raise the required $2 million.
