BY HENRY MHARA
WARRIORS captain Knowledge Musona would be looking to restart his Anderlecht career next season, where he will be coached by Vincent Kompany after the Manchester City captain announced yesterday he is leaving the English Premier League champions to become player manager at the Belgian club.
Musona has had a frustrating time at the club he joined last year on a four-year contract, making just 10 appearances, mostly from the bench before he was shipped out to Lokeren on loan in January this year.
The loan deal expired at the end of the season, and the striker will revert back to his parent club where he hopes to impress Kompany, one of the best players in the world in recent years.
Kompany will replace Karim Belhocine, the man who released Musona to Lokeren, which went on to get relegated from the Belgian top-flight league at the end of the season.
Musona will be desperate to convince the new manager that he deserves to stay and play regularly at the former Belgian champions.
The Warriors skipper is expected to arrive in the country next week from his European base for national team camp, to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals.
The former Aces Youth Academy star led Zimbabwe to their fourth Afcon finals, contributing five goals in the qualifiers.
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Training under Kompany will also be massive for the 28-year-old, and the wealth of knowledge he is set to acquire could also come handy to the Warriors — a team Musona has led with distinction.
Kompany, who is familiar with Zimbabwean players, having played alongside former Warriors striker Benjani Mwaruwari at City, signed a three-year deal with Anderlecht, where he came through the ranks before joining Hamburg in 2006 and Man City two years later.
He is leaving City after 11 trophy-laden years, where he made 360 appearances, winning four Premier League titles, two FA cups, four League cups and two Community shields.
The 33-year-old signed off with victory in the FA Cup final on Saturday, where he lifted the trophy after City thrashed Watford 6-0 to complete a domestic treble.
He explained his decision on Facebook, writing: “I have decided to take up the challenge at RSC Anderlecht. Player-manager. I want to share my knowledge with the next purple generations. With that, I will also put a bit of Manchester in the heart of Belgium. This may come as a surprise to you. It’s the most passionate yet rational decision I’ve ever made.
“As a footballer, I was born and raised at RSC Anderlecht. Since the age of six, I have been one with that club. A history of 34 league titles, they are second to none.”
