BY MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambga reckons a number of his young players will be moving to Europe at the end of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament which roars to life in Cairo tonight with a potentially explosive match pitting hosts Egypt against Zimbabwe.
Chidzambga was reacting to versatile midfielder Marshall Munetsi’s big switch from Orlando Pirates to French top-flight league side Stade de Reims last week, becoming the third Zimbabwean player after Benjani Mwaruwari and Harlington Shereni to feature in Ligue 1.
Munetsi’s deal for an undisclosed fee brought the number of players based in Europe to six while striker Nyasha Mushekwi plies his trade in China.
“Munetsi’s move to France is one of the best moves that has ever happened to our players in Zimbabwe. I hope he is going to follow Mwaruwari’s footsteps and end up in the Premier League in England,” Chidzambga said from the Warriors base in Egypt.
“I foresee more of our young players moving abroad after Afcon because we have very talented players in our team. I think we have a very special team which is going to do well in the tournament and I feel most of our players are going to do well in their individual careers,” Chidzambga added.
Belgium-based midfield Marvelous Nakamba has been linked with bigger European teams over the last couple of years.
Warriors talisman Khama Billiat, although in the wrong side of 20s, in terms of age, has expressed his desire to use the Afcon tournament to secure a move to Europe. Younger players who will be looking to impress scouts from Europe in Egypt include gangly defender Teenage Hadebe, Divine Lunga, Kuda Mahachi (who had trials with French giants Monaco in 2014) and Talent Chawapiwa, among others.
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Chidzambga is aiming to become the first coach to qualify the Warriors for the knockout stages of the Afcon finals, having been drawn in Group A alongside Egypt, the DRC and Uganda.
His message to his charges is straightforward.
“We need to be focused in what we are playing for, and we must also not disrespect our opponents. That way we can achieve our targets. I am happy that the spirit and the commitment is quite high in camp. The the players are raring to go.”
