The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
FRANCE-BASED midfield enforcer Marshal Munetsi has heaped praise on Norman Mapeza’s bouncing back into the Warriors dugout saying his commitment to the national team can never be doubted.
Mapeza, a multiple championship winning coach with Zvishavane based FC Platinum, bounced backed as head of the Warriors technical team on an interim basis to take charge of the Warriors in the on-going four-nations tournament in Malawi.
The tournament features hosts Malawi, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Mapeza, who boasts of international football experience both as a player and a coach after having played in the celebrated Dream Team and Turkish side Galatasaray, has Ngezi Platinum Stars head coach Takesure Chiragwi as his assistant.
Mapeza took over from ex-Highlanders Portuguese coach Baltemar Brito whose contract expired at the end of last year.
“Our coach Norman Mapeza has played football before, and he has been our coach before. So, it’s good to have somebody who knows all the things we are going through, and we are continuing to know the way that he wants us to play. We are having an idea of how he wants the team to play and to look like,” said Munetsi who is one of the
Warriors team captains and he deputises England based Marvelous Nakamba together with Turkey based Teenage Hadebe.
Munetsi was speaking to the Zifa media in Malawi.
Munetsi added: “It’s also good for us to have someone who understands us, he is someone who has been doing great locally. I think he is going to show that with us as a national team. I also think it’s also good for us to get an opportunity to know his playing system. This is something that we have always wanted as players, to have some preparations and to know each other especially heading to big games. We have already started to have some cohesion in the team which I think it is going to be good for us as we prepare for what is going to come in June. We come from different teams with different playing systems. We have to find our own football culture, our own system and our own style of play.”
The Malawi tournament is being used by all the teams as part of preparations for the resumption of 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June.
A similar contest for Under-20 sides from the same countries, which started on Wednesday at Lilongwe’s Silver Stadium, was the curtain raiser of the seniors’ competition which concludes on Tuesday.
These are friendly matches that have also been endorsed by Mapeza and Hadebe.
“It’s a game of football, we need to win our games but it’s much about the assessment of these boys especially the guys who have not been here before,” said Mapeza.
Towering Hadebe, a veteran of many Warriors battles, said he hopes similar events will consistently be organised.
“Friendly matches allow the coaches to assess the players’ performances. We need these preparations, but I just hope they keep organising similar games even against other countries so that when we get to the World Cup qualifiers, we will be sharp. It’s been long since the team played friendly matches which I believe can be key in building combinations within the squad,” said Hadebe a former Chicken Inn, Highlanders and now defunct Bantu Rovers defender.
Warriors Squad
Goalkeepers
Martin Mapisa, Donovan Bernard, Marley Tavaziva
Defenders
Shane Maroodza, Divine Lunga, Gerald Takwara, Kevin Moyo, Teenage Hadebe, Peter Muduhwa, Munashe Garananga, Emmanuel Jalai, Jordan Zemura, Joey Phuthi
Midfielders
Marshall Munetsi, Junior Makunike, Andy Rinomhota, Tivonge Rushesha, Tawanda Chirewa, Walter Musona
Strikers
Tinotenda Kadewere, Daniel Msendami, Tawanda Maswanhise, Macauley Bonne -@FungaiMuderere
