The nation has been crying over the controversial omission of Marshall Munetsi from the final 28-member Afcon 2025 Zimbabwe squad which is now in the hands of the Confederation of African Football
The list required and sent to CAF on a given deadline day, means Zimbabwe's top footballer will miss out on a tournament reserved for Africa's top teams and players and will watch others play on television.
Surely, there is every reason to feel a measure of sympathy for the Wolves player who was caught in a web of lies and the confusion at Zifa where everyone handles Warriors communication from clubs, CAF, and FIFA.
Instead of the CEO, we hear that FIFA employee Kudzai Chitima has taken over control of the Warriors and handles all communication regarding Zimbabwe's most popular football team.
Although he is employed to oversee FIFA projects in Zimbabwe , Chitima has dogged questions regarding his new ROLES at Zifa despite too many accusations of overstepping the boundary including taking part in Warriors team selection
There are too many stories to the Munetsi debacle with Zifa claiming they had received information that the player was injured while Munetsi - on his part -- claims his club informed Zifa that he was ready but could only miss the opening match against Egypt.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Chitima received but sat on an email from Wolves regarding Munetsi's availability resulting in the crisis that we have today.
Munetsi, the Warriors vice captain joins Jordan Zemura who will also miss out of Afcon after being injured when featuring for his Serie A side Udinese.
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Whatever the case is, what is encouraging is that Munetsi and Zemura's absence also opens up avenues for new players who will be hungry to prove a point.
Those who will get the chance know that Afcon is the opportunity to grab the attention of top European clubs whose scouts will be all over the show and will play their hearts out to be noticed.
Surely, Afcon is known for producing new African stars and Zimbabwe is not short of talent to be one of those teams who could produce a player the world would talk of during and after the tournament.
The focus should be on living and believing in the players we have in camp rather than to continue crying about those who are not going to the continental football festival.
Our team is strong and the best Warriors we have at the moment and only a few are complaining about a one or two players whom they feel should have been in the team but were left out
Enough talent floods in our changing room and a team that possesses such players as Andy Rinomhota, Washington Arubi, Tawanda Maswanhise, Sean Fusire, Tawanda Chirewa, Divine Lunga, Brendon Galloway, Bill Antonio, and Teenage Hadebe, cannot be said to be lacking in skill, power, and experience.
In terms of talent, our team is far much better than half of the 32 team's making the trip to Morocco but it is how coach Marian Marinica will come up with his playing team that will be the key.
If the Romanian coach can be spot-on and place the players in their rightful positions, Zimbabwe could spring one or two surprises at this football gathering.
After all, we held South Africa to a goalesst draw in a World Cup Qualifier when our house was in turmoil and what can prevent us from beating them this time around.
On that premise, let us rally behind the Warriors we have and forget about the Warriors we should have had.
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