UK based star in fall out with Warriors coach

WARRIORS rising star, Tawanda Chirewa, may be a doubt for Zimbabwe’s next 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying assignment after straying off the disciplinary line that has been drawn by new coach Michael Nees.

According to The Herald, Chirewa was not amused with the German coach’s decision to substitute him during the Warriors’ opening Group J qualifier against Kenya at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala. The Warriors will next month face COSAFA rivals Namibia in back-to-back clashes on October 11 and 15 with the games likely to be both staged in South Africa if the trend by the ZIFA Normalisation Committee and the Nambian Football Association is anything to go by.

But as they reflect on their first two games under Nees, the Warriors technical crew and the Normalisation Committee are reportedly not amused with Chirewa’s conduct.

According to reports from within the Warriors dressing room, Chirewa seemed to have gone overboard in questioning the coach’s decision to take him off in the 58th minute of the senior team’s goalless draw against Kenya.

Sources within the Warriors technical team and the ZIFA Normalisation Committee, said Chirewa currently on loan to Derby County from English Premiership side Wolves, expressed disbelief with Nees’ decision to haul him and the German expatriate took exception to the player’s conduct.

An ugly exchange of words is said to have then ensued. Chirewa declined to speak with local journalists on the eve of the Warriors’ game against Cameroon on Tuesday which also ended 0-0.

He, however, came on as a late substitute, replacing Walter Musona in the 86th minute, amid speculation over the fallout with Nees. Chirewa’s exclusion from the team that started against Cameroon was the only change that Nees made to the Warriors side he threw into battle against Kenya.

Nees chose Polokwane City man Douglas Mapfumo to partner Prince Dube, Khama Billiat, and Musona in Zimbabwe’s attacking line, a formidable combination that made Chirewa’s absence less noticeable.

During Tuesday night’s game against Cameroon, Warriors assistant coach Takesure Chiragwi was seen trying to convince Chirewa to warm-up in preparation for coming but the midfielder appeared disinterested before eventually being sent on for the final four minutes.

It reportedly also took the intervention of his teammates to persuade Chirewa. [Source-The Herald]