WARRIORS' interim coach Jairos Tapera has raised eyebrows after he chose five Manica Diamonds players for the upcoming Hollywood Bets Cosafa Cup, which kicks off in Port Elizabeth.
The Warriors squad was announced at around midnight of the deadline for team submission on Friday in what has become the modus operandi of the Zifa normalisation committee.
This is the last assignment of Jairos' disastrous tenure as Warriors head coach after defeats to Lesotho and South Africa in the World Cup qualifiers earlier in the month.
Jairos' mandate was to take the Warriors through the World Cup qualifiers and the Cosafa Cup when he was appointed by Zifa on an interim basis.
It is probably the final national team duty to be overseen by the NC amid reports that Fifa will name a new team early next month.
Fifa is understood to be unhappy with the Lincoln Mutasa led NC in terms of the ground covered with regard to the mandate they were given up on appointment last year.
As such the global football body is reportedly set to appoint a new committee, which will be handed a nine-month tenure to complete the task negated by Mutasa and his team.
Mutasa's team included Rosemary Mugadza, Sikhumbuzo Ndebele, lawyer Nyasha Sanyamandwe and accountant Cynthia Malaba.
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And Jairos saw the perfect opportunity to sign off by his men Tawanda Chisi, Thubelihle Jubani, Farai Banda and inform forward Michael Tapera national team caps.
Goalkeeper Geoffrey Chitsumba, who made his debut against South Africa and made a howler for the which resulted in the second goal is also part of the squad.
The team also has four Ngezi Platinum Stars players with goalkeeper Nelson Chadya, Richard Hachiro, Leslie Kashitigu and striker Takunda Benhura set to make the trip to Port Elizabeth.
Ironically Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi is Jairos' assistant in the Warriors' set up along with Green Fuel's Saul Chaminuka.
In what appears to be a token move Tapera has included Highlanders striker Lynoth Chikuhwa after overlooking him for the Cosafa squad, which was announced last month amid uproar from football fans.
Players, who have been dropped in the latest Cosafa squad include Dynamos' diminutive fullback Emmanuel Jalai, Dynamos goalkeeper
Prince Tafiremutsa, striker Tinotenda Benza (Herentals), Andrew Mbeba (Highlanders), Daniel Musendami, Mthokozozisi Msebe (Simba Bhora) and Denzel Mapuwa(GreenFuel).
Last year's Soccer Star of the Year runner-up Donald Mudadi of Dynamos is part of the team along with Bulawayo Chiefs’ Never Rauzhi and Dennis Nhongo of Bikita Minerals.
The foreign based players remaining in the Cosafa in the squad include Brentford goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva, Joey Phuthi, who plays for Sheffield Wednesday in England and Tatenda Tavengwa who turns out for South Africa lower division side Venda FC.
Macauley Bonne, who was part of the initial squad, has also been dropped.
The Warriors are expected to leave Harare for Port Elizabeth on Tuesday morning with training scheduled for Tuesday afternoon as well as Wednesday ahead of Zimbabwe’s opening match on Thursday afternoon.
Zimbabwe will begin their Cosafa Cup campaign against Comoros on Thursday afternoon before entertaining Zambia three days later and conclude their Group B fixtures with Kenya on July 2.
The tournaments will see 12 teams , split into three groups competing.
The group winners and best second-placed side from across the three pools will advance to the semifinals.
The winner of Group B will take on the winner of Group C, with the top team in Group A to meet the best runner-up.
Zimbabwe has missed the last two Cosafa tournaments due to a Fifa suspension.
Goalkeepers
Marley Tavaziva (Brentford), Nelson Chadya (Ngezi Platinum), Geoffrey Chitsumba (Manica Diamonds)
Defenders
Shane Maroodza (Huddersfield), Isheanasu Mauchi (Simba Bhora), Tawanda Chisi (Manica Diamonds), Thubelihle Jubani (Manica Diamonds), Farai Banda (Manica Diamonds), Dennis Nhongo (Bikita Minerals)
Midfielders
Joey Phuthi (Sheffield Wednesday), Tatenda Tavengwa (Venda FC), Leslie Kashitigu (Ngezi Platinum), Richard Hachiro (Ngezi Platinum), Donald Mudadi (Dynamos), Kingsley Mureremba (Caps United), Tinotenda Meke (Greenfuel), Panashe Mutimbanyoka (FC Platinum), Juan Mutudza (FC Platinum)
forwards
Michael Tapera (Manica Diamonds), Never Rauzhi (Bulawayo Chiefs), Takunda Benhura (Ngezi Platinum), Lynoth Chikuhwa (Highlanders)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Jairos Tapera (Head Coach), Saul Chaminuka (Assistant Coach), Takesure Chiragwi (Assistant Coach), Zwanai Kawadza (Goalkeepers Coach), Abraham Mbaiwa (Strength & Conditioning), Clemence Matawu (Team Manager), Idzai Muzondo (Team Doctor), Lennon Gwara (Sports Massage Therapist), Simon Marange (Performance Analyst), James Makoni (Performance Analyst) and Sunday Chidzambwa (Technical Advisor)
