Wolves had a number of players who didn’t join up with their national teams over the international break – one being Marshall Munetsi.
For the October international break, Wolves had a record number of players called up, with 17 stars representing their countries.
But for the current break, only 11 headed off.
And one player who didn’t jet out this time around was Marshall Munetsi, with the 29-year-old remaining at Compton Park.
And the reason for this was shared recently.
Why Marshall Munetsi didn’t join up with Zimbabwe national team
There was some surprise when Munetsi wasn’t included in Zimbabwe’s latest squad, as he is the captain and a vastly experienced player.
But the reason for his absence makes sense.
According to the Zimbabwe FA, Munetsi was excused at the request of Wolves ‘due to a coaching transition’. The games against Algeria and Qatar (to come on Monday) were also friendly matches which perhaps played a part in the agreement.
Wolves, of course, sacked Pereira at the start of November, and had been looking for a new head coach.
After a 10-day search, Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards, who is now working with a section of the squad.
In recent days, the Zimbabwe FA have also issued an update on Tawanda Chirewa, who did join up with the national team unlike Munetsi.
The youngster has actually now left the camp in a prior agreement with Wolves.
A Zimbabwe statement read: “This decision was reached with the full blessing and consent of ZIFA, after Wolverhampton Wanderers formally requested an opportunity for the player to be assessed by their new technical team as part of their internal preparations for the season ahead.
“ZIFA emphasises that this development is not a withdrawal, nor does it reflect any dispute or disagreement.
“Instead, it represents a professional and mutually respectful alignment between the national association and the player’s parent club, an alignment that prioritises the athlete’s long-term development while safeguarding Zimbabwe’s national football interests.”
A chance for Munetsi to impress Rob Edwards
With Munetsi not heading off to play international football, he now has the chance to catch Edwards’ eye on the training pitches at Compton.
Munetsi could well be a winner of the Edwards appointment, given the new manager’s love for players who work hard and press well.
But Munetsi’s poor progressive passing data should mean he doesn’t walk into that starting XI.
It’ll be very interesting to see Edwards’ very first starting XI against Crystal Palace. One would imagine Joao Gomes and Andre will surely both start – it’s just about who joins them, if anyone, with Munetsi, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde and Fer Lopez all in contention.