Warriors Coach Blames Packed Schedule for Recent Loss to Cameroon

By Makhosethu Ndlovu

Warriors head coach Michael Nees has attributed his team’s 2-1 loss to Cameroon yesterday to the exhausting demands of their packed football calendar.

Nees expressed concern that the team’s demanding schedule, including a match against Kenya on Friday and 35 hours of travel, left players physically and mentally drained, affecting their performance in the loss.

“Cameroon had a match on Wednesday, they had 5 training sessions, they could recover well, and we had our match on Friday evening. We traveled for 35 hours and had more training sessions until yesterday before the match, not even a recovery session. It was clear that we were tired, the fatigue in our legs was evident,” Nees explained.

“Sometimes when you overcome this point, your legs feel fresh again, and it’s mostly after 60 minutes and that’s exactly what happened.”

Nees also pointed out that the team’s struggles were not just physical but mental, adding, “We were also not just physically but mentally not really in the game. It’s tough, we were a bit sleepy, and communication was not good.”

However, he acknowledged the team’s improved performance in the second half, saying, “But in the second half, we really showed different characters. The team has big characters, and the players have big characters. They wanted to show that they can play big football and challenge Cameroon. I think we deserved a draw.”

Despite the setback, Nees remains optimistic, having successfully guided the Warriors to qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Under his leadership, the Warriors have recorded 2 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss since his appointment in August.