Zimbabwe coach explains Wolves star Munetsi’s omission

By Agencies

Zimbabwe’s senior national football team coach Michael Nees has clarified why he left out star players such as Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Marshall Munetsi from the Warriors’ call-up.

The German omitted the England-based star and others such as Knowledge Musona, Divine Lunga, Marvelous Nakamba and Jordan Zemura from the squad to play friendlies against Burkina Faso and Niger next month.

Explaining his squad selection, Nees insisted that there was no bad blood between him and the players who were sidelined.

“Marshall Munetsi [needs] a well-deserved break after a very tough season; always gives 100 percent, so he needs a full rest. We need him to him back in full fitness in September,” he told the press.

He added that Nakamba needed a rest because he had just recovered from an injury, and there was no need to rush him into action.

“Marvelous is not in the squad, not because we do not have a good relationship. We have an excellent relationship, but you cannot have players of his age having three or four weeks of break, then straight into the national team. The result would be underperformance, injuries, and missing pre-season,” he told the press.

The coach explained that he left out Musona because he has just concluded the season in Saudi Arabia.

Nees added that Zemura and the other players are injured while Lunga is concentrating on Sundowns’ participation in the FIFA Club World Cup and the CAF Champions League final against Pyramids FC on June 1, 2025.