A day in the life of a footballer under lockdown

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

HIGHLY-RATED new CAPS United recruit, Carlos Mavhurume, should have made his much-anticipated Premiership debut for the Green Machine about a week ago.

But, after the coronavirus outbreak, he wonders if any football will be played this year.

The former Herentals central defender now finds himself having to follow an unfamiliar routine as he spends the rest of his time at his home in Chitungwiza.

The country is under a national 21-day lockdown, which began on Monday, and football players have had to do with individual training programmes drafted by their coaches.

That the players have to execute those tasks indoors, makes it even more difficult.

And for Mavhurume, whose coach Darlington Dodo is always in touch, everything appears strange.

“It’s strange. I mean the feeling. This ailment is something else. The right thing is what we have been asked to do. To stay at home. But, as footballers, we will feel it’s strange,” said Mavhurume.

“My day starts at 5am. I do some sprints, jumps as well as some skipping sessions.

“I then do some ball drills but, as you might be aware, it is very difficult to accomplish ball drills whilst alone.

“Nevertheless, I do as much as I can. All that takes me about one-and-a-half hours.”

Mavhurume said after the initial phase, he goes back to bed while waiting for his wife to prepare breakfast.

“For meals, I stick to what has been prescribed by our team nutritionist. I eat the right quantities.”

The former Herentals player, who only settled for CAPS United because he has an emotional attachment to the team, says he then does some strength sessions in the afternoon. “I do strength work two hours after lunch and this encompasses agility, flexibility and speed among other things.

“I have a mini-gym at home so I make the most of it.

“But, it is always difficult working alone. I am used to team work so doing these activities alone makes it look very boring.

“It is a difficult period we find ourselves in. But, we have to do that for now, as people’s health is all what matters.

“Hopefully, this will be over soon and we are allowed to play football in the not-so-distant-future. For now, people should keep safe.”