From glory to grit: The tale of Calum English-Brown

Last season, Calum English-Brown joined Whawha and was an instant hit because of his dribbling finesse and set-piece mastery.

As word of English-Brown’s exploits spread like wildfire, local clubs scrambled for his services. However, amid the glory, his former coach, Luke Jukulile advised him that he needed to mature into a true team player.

Sadly, the advice seemed unheeded as he hurriedly moved to Chicken Inn where he has struggled for game time.

English-Brown’s resilience and hard work however, hasn’t gone unnoticed and Jukulile believes he will come good. Last year he made history by becoming the first white player to grace the local league since the new millennium, a remarkable feat. He shined for Whawha, earning the endearing nickname “White Lion” from adoring fans.

“The boy is talented but his move to a big team was hurried. He still needed to develop but sometimes players do not want to listen when you try to give advice. You advise them on one thing and they do the other. I have not been in contact with the boy but hopefully, he gets to unlock his potential soon. But overall his move was hurried, he needed to go where he would develop as a player,” said Jukulile.

Whawha wasn’t his first brush with fame, though. As a 16-year-old, he signed with Harare City but remained an unused Under-20 player. It was during the 2017 Cosafa Under-17 tournament that he caught the eye of the footballing world, thanks to the guidance of Moses “Bambo” Chunga.

Dynamos, captivated by his dazzling displays, had set their sights on him but Chicken Inn’s swift actions secured his signature ahead of the Harare giants.

English-Brown’s time at Chicken Inn hasn’t panned out as expected. Game time has been a struggle, leaving some to wonder what could have happened to his promising career.

The talented young midfielder continues to toil and persevere in training, hoping to unlock the full potential that caught the nation’s attention not long ago.

Chicken Inn FC coach Prince Matore says the player is working hard in training. –@innocentskizoe