BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
WARRIORS coach Zdravko Logarusic’s continued absence is the reason why Zifa is delaying announcement of the squad for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Ethiopia early next month, The Standardsport has learnt.
Logarusic reportedly flew out of the country on August 06 to attend to a family emergency as well as spend time with his family following a dismal Cosafa Cup campaign.
However, with a crucial World Cup qualifier tie barely two weeks away, the Warriors technical team is yet to announce the squad that will do duty for the country.
Interestingly all of Zimbabwe’s rivals in Group G rivals have already named their squads, but Zifa is understood to be waiting for the return of the beleaguered Croat before they can hold a press conference to announce the team.
“Zifa is only waiting for the return of the Warriors coach before they can announce the squad. They want to announce the squad through a press conference with Loga and his technical team present. He is expected back in the country early next week and that is when the squad will be made public,” a source told Standardsport.
Earlier reports had indicated that Logarusic would return to Zimbabwe on August 25 to begin preparations for the World Cup qualifiers.
Of all the teams in the Group H, Ethiopia was the first to announce their squad for the upcoming matches on August 12 with Ghana naming a bloated 30-man squad the following day.
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Zimbabwe’s opponents Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos announced his 31-member squad last Thursday, which included seven foreign-based players among them the English side Brighton and Hove player Percy Tau and the pair of Thibang Phete and Sphephelo Sithole, who play for Portuguese league side Belenenses.
There is also Siyanda Xulu (Haopel Tel Aviv, Israel Kobamelo Kodisang (FC Braga B, Portugal) Gift Links (Aarhus, Denmark) and Luther Singh (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)
The frustrating delay in the announcement of the Warriors squad has resulted in a lot of speculation about, who will be included in the Warriors squad.
A fake squad that included the likes of foreign-based players Macauley Bonne, Ethan Kachosa of Sunderland, Iceland-based Kundai Benyu and Jonah Fabisch, who plays for Hamburg in Germany among the familiar faces made rounds on social media last week.
However, Logarusic and his technical team are expected to name a largely familiar squad headlined by the France-based duo of Tino Kadewere and Marshall Munetsi, as well as Aston Villa’s Marvelous Nakamba and captain Knowledge who now plying trade in Saudi Arabia.
A number of England based players such as Tendayi Darikwa, Admiral Muskwe and Jordan Zemura have been regulars in the national team under Logarusic.
