MARIAN “MARIO” MARINICA has learned to live with noise, and he is not losing sleep over the criticism that followed his decision to leave injured Wolves midfielder Marshall Munetsi out of his Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad.
On Thursday, the Warriors coach named a 28-man team for the continental finals in Morocco, which run from December 21 to January 18, and Munetsi’s name was missing.
So was that of Udinese left-back Jordan Zemura.
Both players picked up injuries recently. Marinica has since selected those he believes will arrive in Morocco fully fit and ready to contribute immediately.
Before Munetsi and Zemura were ruled out, Walter Musona, Tymon Machope, Aboubakar Moffat, Andrew Mbeba and Donovan Bernard had already been dropped for similar reasons.
Zemura kept his thoughts to himself.
Munetsi did not.
The Wolves midfielder publicly challenged the decision, questioning the assessment of his club’s medical team and suggesting the risk around his availability had been overstated.
The remarks ignited a fierce social media storm, with some critics going as far as questioning his patriotism and sincerity, given the real possibility that he would miss the opening match or even the entire group phase.
Marinica, though, has seen this movie before.
The Romanian has dealt with similar standoffs during previous national team assignments with Malawi and Liberia, and he refuses to let side issues distract him from the task at hand.
Ahead of the 2021 AFCON, played in 2022 in Cameroon, Marinica took charge of the Flames of Malawi and immediately ruffled feathers by dropping established names, including Gerald Phiri Jnr.
Scepticism followed him all the way to Cameroon, especially after Malawi landed in a group featuring Zimbabwe, Guinea and Senegal.
What followed surprised many.
Malawi beat a Warriors side coached by Norman Mapeza and pushed through to the knockout stages, where they exited narrowly against Morocco.
That experience has shaped his current approach.
With Zimbabwe, Marinica has been clear that he will not gamble on injured players.
His preference is for sound bodies that can sustain his “fast and very fast” philosophy, a mindset reflected in his selection of several pacy wide players, including 16-year-old Scottland FC prodigy Tadiwanashe Chakuchichi.
“I think we have tried as much as possible to give everyone a chance to prove their worth,” he said.
“It was a short period, and I am sure we have somewhere to start from going forward in future competitions like CHAN, COSAFA and other international qualifiers.
“We have a strong team that can compete. It’s been difficult but we will be able to make our presence felt.”
The Warriors leave for Morocco on Tuesday, giving them five days to prepare for their Group B opener against Egypt at Stade d’Agadir on December 22. South Africa and Angola complete a group filled with familiar rivals.
In Munetsi’s absence, Godknows Murwira and goalkeeper Washington Arubi will deputise captain Marvelous Nakamba.
Munetsi has been a committed servant whenever called upon, but leadership responsibilities now fall to others.
There is cautious optimism that this squad could finally break the group stage barrier that has stopped Zimbabwe at each of their last five AFCON appearances.
The new ZIFA executive has worked to remove off-field distractions, placing player welfare and motivation at the centre of preparations.
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi said: “We sat down with the boys and agreed on everything pertaining to their daily allowances here and in Morocco. We agreed on match fees as well as their winning bonuses. Everything is in place and it’s up to the players and the technical team to deliver the goods come the tournament. We believe a well-motivated team can deliver results. We would like to thank the Government and President Mnangagwa for chipping in to help the cause. We are so humbled and we promise the nation a good show in Morocco.”
This will be Magwizi’s first AFCON in charge since his executive took office in January, and expectations are heavy as Zimbabwe chase a long-awaited place in the knockout rounds.
The team was officially sent off last week by the Government, through the Ministry of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture, with Minister Anselem Sanyatwe calling for patience and unity behind the coaching staff.
In his address, Sanyatwe urged stakeholders to support Marinica, a figure who divided opinion during the November international window when he oversaw his first matches in charge against Algeria and Qatar.
Marinica’s methods are direct.
He wants standards met and instructions followed, and some players who had grown comfortable under softer handling in previous regimes struggled to adjust.
Complaints found their way to sympathetic bloggers, and the situation briefly grew louder than it deserved.
That phase appears to have passed.
The players have since settled, and through captain Nakamba, they have pledged full commitment in Morocco.
With kits ready and logistics in place, the plane will take off on Tuesday carrying 28 players, a technical team and the weight of national expectation from a country that lives and breathes the beautiful game.
