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Gutu bids farewell

Sport
Archford Gutu has bade farewell to the Dynamos family to begin his new European football career when he leaves the country early January to join Swedish club Kalmar FF. The midfielder — who in September inked a three-year deal with the club which plays in the Swedish top-flight league, the Allsvenskan — will leave the […]

Archford Gutu has bade farewell to the Dynamos family to begin his new European football career when he leaves the country early January to join Swedish club Kalmar FF.

The midfielder — who in September inked a three-year deal with the club which plays in the Swedish top-flight league, the Allsvenskan — will leave the country on January 2 to join his new teammates.

Gutu said he would miss everything at DeMbare, but expressed his gratification at having helped the Harare giants to a double in the just-ended football season.

“I am very happy to have won the league title and Mbada Cup with Dynamos. It has left me a satisfied guy. It is sad I am leaving now and I will miss all the guys. But it has always been my dream to play in Europe,” said Gutu.

Kalmar FF will be playing in next year’s Uefa Europa League after finishing as runners-up in this year’s edition of Sweden’s premier knockout tournament, the Svenska Cup, which was played early this month.

They secured their Europa ticket after Svenska Cup eventual winners, Helsingborgs IF, had also won the Scandinavian country’s league title.

Gutu expressed his readiness for the European football demanding terrain.

“I believe I am ready to play in Europe so I will just try to adjust to the football there. When I was on trial in Sweden I realised they were very fast and physically strong. Our football is very different from Kalmar’s because they emphasise technique unlike us.

“I have been working hard this season and was not even afraid of getting injured,” said Gutu who limped off the Mbada Diamonds Cup final against Motor Action on Sunday.

Kalmar finished eighth in the 16-team Allsvenskan which runs concurrently with the Zimbabwean league. Gutu’s Swedish move is expected to be a stepping stone to more competitive European leagues.

The move is also a dream come true for the former Ajax Cape Town academy midfielder who looked cursed in football after numerous unsuccessful attempts to break into clubs in South Africa, Austria and Bulgaria.