RETURNING from international duty can leave many players drained, but Zimbabwe Warriors defender Brendan Galloway seems to have found the opposite effect from his recent Afcon finals in Morocco — a springboard into the best form of his career.
Since rejoining Plymouth Argyle, Galloway, 29, has been a revelation. More accustomed to stopping goals than scoring them, he has found the net three times in his last four appearances, all from set pieces, including a decisive winner against former club Luton Town at Home Park.
His journey to this peak began with the Warriors’ Afcon campaign. Although Zimbabwe exited in the group stages, the experience proved pivotal.
Galloway earned his ninth international cap during the tournament, coming off the bench against Angola before starting in the high-pressure clash against South Africa.
That exposure has translated into a dominant spell in League One, where he has become central to Argyle’s set-piece strategy.
“We work a lot on set pieces. So, to see it paying off is really good,” Galloway remarked following the 1-0 victory.
“It’s just an instinct thing... It’s about being ready in the box, anticipating, and then just being willing to be aggressive with it.”
While his goal-scoring exploits have grabbed attention, it is his defensive versatility that has won over Home Park fans. Naturally a centre-back, Galloway has been deputising at left-back with composure, helping Argyle climb to 14th as they eye a late-season push toward the playoffs.
- Inside Sport: Bookmakers rule out Warriors
- Kangwa delights in Warriors recall
- Galloway poised for new Argyle deal
- Inside Sport: Bookmakers rule out Warriors
Keep Reading
Manager Tom Cleverley praised the Zimbabwean international for his character and leadership.
"Brendan's an absolute warrior," Cleverley said. "He's a fantastic servant for this club, a fantastic role model for our younger players, and hugely respected by everyone. The clean sheet will probably please Brendan more [than the goal], but we are a dangerous set-piece team at the moment. Brendan seems to be getting to the end of a lot of them."
The Pilgrims’ recent run, bolstered by Galloway’s heroics, has breathed new life into their season. With three consecutive league victories, the dream of Championship football remains mathematically alive if they can maintain this momentum.
For Galloway, the focus remains on the collective effort. Whether it's surging forward in the 90th minute to win a tactical free-kick or throwing his body in front of shots, his "team-first" mentality is evident.
"Any position I'm asked to play, I will try and do as best as I can for the team," Galloway added. "The gaffer may ask us to do different things at different times, and we have got to be able to adapt."
Plymouth were scheduled to host Mansfield Town in a league match last night.
