SINCE his appointment as The Warriors substantive coach after the Fifa ban was lifted in July 2023, German coach Michael Nees has shown lack of trust in young players.
One of the first things he did was to recall 39-year-old goalkeeper Washington Arubi to the team.
He went on to convince 34-year-old Khama Billiat to come out of retirement and now another 34-year-old Knowledge Musona has also bounced back, three years after quitting the national team, ahead of tomorrow's World Cup qualifiers against Benin.
The return of former captain Musona brings the number of players in the Nees World Cup squad, who are over 30 years old, to eight excluding Marvelous Nakamba who withdrew from the team due to injury on Sunday.
These include Arubi, Billiat, Musona, Gerald Takwara, Peter Muduhwa, Godknows Murwira, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Tymon Machope.
Then there are players like Divine Lunga and Walter who are 29 while Marshall is 28.
Some of these players may not even play which means we may have a 30-year-old sitting on the bench where we could have younger players who represent the future of the national team.
Surely some young players have what it takes to be part of the team and step up to the plate when called upon.
- Zifa pass on big opportunity
- Work cut out for new Warriors coach
- Say Nees, Romario implores Warriors fans
- All the best Nees, but…
Keep Reading
It is important that as a country we stop chasing instant results by pursuing a near-impossible feat of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup instead of looking into the future — building a team for the Afcon finals and the 2030 World Cup.
It is discomforting to realise that Nees' does not have a single player under the age of 20, while there are only five players under the age of 25.
These include UK-based goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva (20), defenders Isheanesu Mauchi (22) and Munashe Garan'anga (24); forwards Tawanda Chirewa (21) and Tawanda Maswanhise (22).
And out of these only Garan'anga and Maswanhise could make the starting lineup.
There should always be a balanced mix of veterans and young players for the sake of continuity.
The availability of young players born in the diaspora to play for the country such as Liverpool's Trey Nyoni and Isaac Mabaya, Norwich defender Mahovo and Tivonge Rushesha, who is currently at Reading, is a the perfect opportunity to induct them into the team.
It is also heart breaking that a lot of local young talent continues to be overlooked.
Apart from regular Murwira, Mthokozisi Msebe is the only player who was part of the CHAN squad called up by Nees.
The team had some of the most exciting players from the local scene such as Prince Ndlovu, Zibusiso Ruguchu, Tubelihle Jubane, Allan Chapinduka, Blessed Ndereki, Tinashe Mashaireni, Tinashe Mavhudzi and Ashwin Karengesha, to mention but a few.
The idea should be to create a very large pool of senior national team players and give young players a platform to break into the top leagues.
What will happen if we fail to qualify for the World Cup and we don't fare well at the Afcon finals and most, if not all players over 30 years, retire?
It is high time Zimbabwe built for the future.
The Warriors have already punched above their weight to qualify for the Afcon finals barely two years after the Fifa ban was lifted and the focus should be on building a team that can qualify for Afcon again in 2027, with one eye on the 2030 World Cup.
