Looking At Zimbabwe Warriors Players Who Survived Relegation & Those That Are At Risk Of Going Down This Season
As another football season draw to a close we have noticed that a number of Zimbabwe Warriors players were, and some are still in contention to drop down a division at their respective clubs this season.
Relagation can usually bring devastating impact to players through drop in football standards, pay cuts and lack of exposure in the lower leagues. This season has seen several clubs around the globe boasting of Zimbabwe Warriors players fighting to stay afloat of their respective leagues.
Here are some of the Warriors players who faced the chop or could still face the chop this season.
Marvelous Nakamba
The Warriors defensive midfielder has endured a tough season at Luton Town in the English premier league due to Injuries. The 30-year-old Zimbabwean who had a marvelous season last year as he helped Luton Town to promotion to the top-tier, failed to live up to his expectations as he got hampered by an injury early doors into the season.
The midfielder underwent surgery on a torn miniscus injury he picked up in training after featuring in only 13 league matches and is still working individually to get fully recovered. His loss was huge for Luton Town who had won one game draw three times, scored 11 goals conceded 13 goals before Nakamba’s injury.
Nakamba totalled 0,5 key passes per game, provided 3,1 tackles, and a 6,9 ball recovery rate in his 13 starts. Luton Town really missed his contribution as they went on to accumulate 20 points more in 24 games throwing themselves in the drop zone.
Luton has been relegated after just one season in the Premier League.
The team lost 4-2 at home to Fulham on the final day of the season on Sunday and joins other newcomers, Sheffield United and Burnley in going down to the second-tier Championship.
It was Luton’s first year in the top flight since the 1991-92 campaign.
Jordan Zemura
Udinese are still in the dogfight as they are one of the three teams fighting to avoid the drop to the second division to join the already relegated Salernitana this season.
Udinese are on 34 points, Frosinone on 35 points and Empoli 33 as they go into the final round this weekend.
Zemura’s team will face Frosinone on the final day with the team needing a win to survive relagation. A draw could throw them in the relegation playoff against Empoli if they are tied on points after the final day.
The 24-year-old left-back has had quite a fruitful season at Udinese. He has played in the majority side’s Serie A games in 2023/2024, making 26 appearances overall and playing 1,028 minutes. He has been selected in the starting XI in 10 of these appearances across their 36 fixtures and been mostly used as a substitute on 16 occasions.
The Zimbabwean debuted in a Serie A fixture for Udinese on August 20, 2023 as a substitute versus Juventus at the age of 23 years and 279 days. So far in his Serie A career, he has played 26 times in the competition, with one goal scored and he is yet to assist a team-mate.
Knowledge Musona
Al Riyadh have performed admirably to move away from the drop zone in the past three games after securing impressive victories over Mahrez’s Al Ahli and draws with Al Fateh and Al Hazem respectively to occupy 14th place in the 18-team league, level on points with 15th placed Al Tai who have a goal difference less. Al Okhdood have 29 points, as do Abha, while Al Hazem, with 21 points, have already been relegated.
Musona’s team will play Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassar in their next game before they complete the season with a game against 11th placed Al Khaleej on the 27th of May.
Al Riyadh will definitely need to stay on top of their game if they are to avoid relegation. However, they might be without the instrumental Knowledge Musona in their last relegation battles. The former Hoffenheim and Anderlecht player, who has four goals and two assists in 22 RSL appearances this season, was substituted after suffering an injury against Al Taawoun.
Gerald Takwara
Takwara’s Saudi Arabian division 1 team came out of the woods after some recent positive results that saw them occupying 15th position on an 18-team log table with 34 points from 32 games, 9 points away from the drop zone with only three games remaining to complete the season.
The Zimbabwe Warriors defender has been a stalwart at Ohod as a defensive midfielder, featuring in 29 out of their 32 games played so far and started in 27 matches scoring two goals and assisted in four games.
Ohod will play Al Adalah on Tuesday 21st May with a draw or win guaranteeing them safety in The Saudi Arabian first division.
Teenage Hadebe
The former Huston Dynamo defender who signed a deal with Turkey super Liga side Konyaspor in February 2024 until the end of the season, has been a good addition to the team as he quickly entrenched himself in the first XI of the relegation threatened Super Liga side.
From the 10 matches that he has started so far in the Super Lig for Konyaspor, Hadebe has been influential helping the team win four games and draw four with only two losses – as they battle hard for survival in the top flight league.
With his team on 15th position with 41 points and a round of matches remaining to finish the season, Hadebe is hoping to carry on with his fine form and help his team maintain its Super Lig status.
They will host giants Galatassaray in their final encounter who are looking for at least a point to be crowned 2023-24 Turkish Super Lig champions while a point will also guarantee Konyaspor’s survival in the top flight league.
Brendan Galloway
It’s been nearly three weeks since Plymouth avoided relegation from the Championship. Brendan Galloway’s side has been battling to stay up in the division for the better part of the season.
Galloway’s team made a huge statement to preserve their status in the Championship league after registering three wins in six games before beating Hull City 1-0 on the final day of the season to avoid relegation.
The Warriors defender featured sparsely for the pilgrims this season due to injury as he only get into the team after 16 games. He has featured in 30 championship games, started in 17 and got substituted 9 times.
Galloway who joined Argyle in 2021 on a short-term deal before helping them up to Championship league promotion in 2022/23 season is hoping to have a great season in the Championship next year after offered another one year contract extension.
Tinotenda Kadewere
Kadewere’s new club FC Nantes survived relegation on the final day of the season after pulling off a last-minute escape to stay in the French Ligue 1.
Kadewere’s side registered a 1-0 win on the final day of the season against the already relegated side Angers to make 36 points as they survived the chop at the expense of AJ Auxerre who needed a win or draw to stay up but lost on the final day.
The 28-year-old forward who joined Nantes in January on loan from Olympic Lyon has started in 10 games substituted in 11 and a goal to his name will be hoping to get a permanent contract at Nantes next season.
