The head coach of the senior national team of Zimbabwe Michael Nees says his team will be aiming to turn around their fortune in the world cup qualifiers when it resumes in March, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
In the same world cup group with Rwanda, Lesotho, South Africa, Benin Republic and Nigeria. They have not been able to match other teams in the group after four games.
Zimbabwe are bottom of the group with just two points, and they will resume their campaign with a game at home to Benin Republic, before traveling to take on the Super Eagles of Nigeria in March.
Nees who successfully guided his team to qualification for the AFCON is confident of his team’s chances ahead of both games, insisting that his team can still make it to the world cup.
“Honestly, it’s not yet all lost in the World Cup qualifiers. We have to do everything to turn the shape around in our matches against Benin and Nigeria in March,” Nees told FARPost.
He went ahead to reveal the team in the group that they will like to emulate as South Africa, pointing out their qualities which he said has been key to their rise so far in football, especially under Hugo Broos.
“But right now, Bafana Bafana is the model. We need to at least copy what they do and study how they do it. Their courage and fighting spirit is what we all want to have.
“At best, we have to believe in ourselves, which is exactly what they have been doing since their coach took over. We don’t know yet when the players are going to be available for us. December has a lot of uncertainty,” explained the German tactician.
On his team not having the same quality players like fellow group rivals , the coach said his team just need to be able to work with the players available to pick results that will aid their chances of picking the world cup ticket.
“Basically, we have three groups of players: those outside of Africa, players in South Africa, and players here in Zimbabwe. We need to know in order to plan. When are these players available? But it can only be done if we know,” he added.
“Clearly, we must all pull in one direction to try and turn the ship around in the World Cup qualification. We are in the last position. When we select players, we need players who are match fit. We need them to have played at least three or four league matches.”
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
