ZIMBABWE Warriors coach, Michael Nees, has underlined the importance of tactical discipline and effective strategy application for the team's upcoming Fifa World Cup qualifier against South Africa.
The Warriors are set to clash with their neighbours, Bafana Bafana, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa, on Friday.
Speaking on the team's preparations, Nees stressed the need for his players to translate instruction into action, especially given the short window to work with the full squad.
"We must be tactically disciplined and apply the right strategy," Nees said.
With limited time, the German tactician highlighted the two full training sessions with the entire squad as vital for final preparations.
"Very important will be the Wednesday’s [today] session and of course the matchday minus one session," he said, adding, “We have all the players in a proper state on board. That's two sessions where we can work on our strategy, on our tactical aspects. These two sessions will be important."
Nees also emphasised the mental aspect of national team football, where preparation time is short and reliance on player execution is high.
- Zim headed for a political dead heat in 2023
- Record breaker Mpofu revisits difficult upbringing
- Tendo Electronics eyes Africa after TelOne deal
- Record breaker Mpofu revisits difficult upbringing
Keep Reading
He reiterated that theoretical sessions and analysis are just as crucial as time on the pitch. "You cannot train a whole week with the full squad for a match. You have two sessions."
Although the game is officially a “home” fixture for Zimbabwe, it will be in Durban due to a stadium ban, meaning South Africa will have the crowd advantage. Despite this, Nees issued a rallying call to Zimbabwean fans.
"The stadium, sure, will be packed. I'm not sure whether they will be South Africans, because we play in Durban. But they must come in numbers, buy the tickets in time, and all the other supporters who cannot come to the match, who are in Zimbabwe or anywhere else, rally behind us, support us. We feel it, and we want to give our best for the match."
Nees noted the significance of these upcoming fixtures as a key part of the Warriors' preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations finals, where South Africa also awaits them in the group stage.
