KATSANDE SPEAKS HIGHLY OF PADERA

Bruce Chikuni

Sports Reporter

FORMER Warriors captain Willard Katsande says Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr would have given him a blank cheque if he had brought Prosper Padera to Kaizer Chiefs.

Katsande told Zimpapers Sports Hub that many people, including Amakhosi legends, have been asking him about Padera.

Padera has been dominating the midfield department and Katsande insisted that he deserves a slot in the Warriors senior team.

Katsande insisted that he feels sorry for Chiefs because Padera has a lengthy contract with Finland’s SJK Seinäjoki.

The 18-year-old has been, by a considerable distance, the best player in the group of the country’s Emerging Warriors who were assigned to represent Zimbabwe at the ongoing COSAFA Cup in South Africa.

It might be too early to make a conclusion, but experts are saying he is cut from the same cloth that makes the real Warriors.

Simon Marange’s men will play their final game of the tournament against leaders Mozambique today.

Kaizer Chiefs have not had a Zimbabwean midfielder since the departure of Katsande five seasons ago.

Katsande remains Kaizer Chiefs’ most capped foreign player with 326 appearances.

Before Katsande, another Zimbabwean, Tinashe Nengomasha, anchored the Chiefs midfield.

And, if Padera was not attached to the Finnish top-flight side, Katsande says his wish was to take him straight into Motaung’s office.

Padera also plays as a defensive midfielder.

“Padera has impressed me and it is clear that our future is very bright. If he wasn’t playing in Europe, I was going to take him straight to Motaung’s office,” said Katsande.

“It’s unfortunate that some people might struggle to see his intelligence and, maybe, it is because he is far ahead of the players who are surrounding him.

“He needs to play alongside players with an elite mindset, players who are not scared to make tough decisions with the ball.

“He is one player whom I really wish to see in the squad that will travel to the AFCON finals in December.

“We need to invest all we have in this boy because he is one for the future.”

Padera hails from Mutare and is a MAJESA Academy graduate.