THE desert heat of Saudi Arabia was meant to temper and unify the Warriors ahead of the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco this December.
Instead, the camp has become an inferno of discord, abuse, and alleged racism, placing new coach Marian Marinica's tenure on the brink of collapse just one match into his reign.
Marinica, brought in to usher in a new era of discipline and tactical focus, has instead triggered a crisis.
Sources painted a picture of a dressing room that is not just unsettled, but actively hostile toward the Romanian coach, culminating in accusations of verbal abuse, vulgarity, and the deeply disturbing use of a racial slurs.
The first signs of Marinica’s confrontational style emerged before the 3-1 friendly defeat to Algeria last Thursday.
Skipper Marvelous Nakamba and defender Devine Lunga, mainstays of the national team, were immediately frozen out of the match-day squad.
Their offense? Arriving in camp hours late after their flight was delayed in Oman.
The coach reportedly refused to accept their apologies or explanation, setting a defiant, non-negotiable tone that alienated the squad's leadership.
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But the real toxicity lay in his alleged verbal attacks, which bordered on the cruelly personal.
Veteran goalkeeper Washington Arubi was publicly shamed, told his behaviour didn't match his 40 years.
Right-back Emmanuel Jalai was labelled a "dwarf" for a national team player, while Scotland-based Tawanda Maswanhise was dismissed as playing "like a granny."
The environment, according to multiple sources, was less of a professional football camp and more of a hostile classroom.
The situation escalated dramatically with allegations of racial abuse.
Sources told Standard Sport that players were deeply worried by the coach's tone, specifically citing the use of a "monkey" word when addressing players.
This level of abuse proved too much for young forward Tawanda Chirewa. After scoring the Warriors’ consolation goal against Algeria, Chirewa could not stomach the vitriol any longer.
He abruptly packed his bags on Friday and returned to his base in England, effectively escaping the toxic atmosphere.
Zifa’s subsequent attempt to control the narrative, claiming Chirewa was recalled by his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers, was quickly dismissed by fellow players, highlighting a clear breakdown of trust between the squad and the football association.
The players have officially raised their concerns, including the serious racism allegations, with Zifa bosses, who are yet to respond publicly.
A tense, crisis meeting was held on Friday at the team hotel in Saudi Arabia.
The atmosphere in the room was described as "palpable" with tension.
"Most players feel that the coach doesn't respect them at all," one source disclosed.
"His man management is just poor. He treats us like his kindergarten kids. The relationship has irretrievably broken down, and the whole atmosphere is just toxic."
The drama extends beyond the head coach.
Assistant coach Kaitano Tembo has been dragged into the fray after he allegedly tried to reason with players to just comply with Marinica "for the sake of progress."
However, Tembo faces his own legacy issues.
Payers, particularly those based in South Africa, claim he mistreated Zimbabwean players during his time at SuperSport United, even reportedly blocking some from joining the club, leading to a visible lack of respect and communication with some members of the current squad..
The source noted, "He is not on talking terms with some players currently in camp. It’s that bad."
This is not Marinica's first brush with controversy. During his time with the Malawi Flames preparing for the 2021 Afcon, players voiced similar concerns over his attitude and vulgar language.
Furthermore, sources in Tanzania, where he previously worked, indicate that racism allegations were also raised against him before his dismissal.
When pressed on the revolt, Marinica offered a defiant defence, framing the players' discontent as a necessary hurdle in his mission.
"Whenever there are changes, always there is some resistance," Marinica conceded in an in-house interview with Zifa.
He implied that the resistance stemmed from players who "want things to be done the same way it was done before."
He doubled down, justifying his methods by stating, "But those things that were done before need to be changed, otherwise I wouldn't be here if those things were good."
Crucially, Marinica signalled a pending squad clear-out.
Denying involvement in the selection of the current squad, he threatened to wield an axe, confirming that he and his technical team would now begin the process of selecting the final Afco tournament squad, placing the most players in current group's chances of travelling to Morocco in serious jeopardy.
Meanwhile, the Warriors team arrived in Qatar yesterday for a scheduled friendly match with the hosts set for tomorrow.
