daniel chigunwe
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
JUNIOR football development personnel who groomed Marshall Munetsi from a young age say they had long seen the potential to go places in the Mabvuku-born football star before he made it big in his career.
Munetsi set a new benchmark for Zimbabwean players after he was unveiled by English Premiership side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a US$20 million deal.
From his early days at Ali Sundowns in Mabvuku and Friendly Academy based at Raylton Sports Club in Harare, the coaches tipped the towering young midfielder for greatness.
The move to South Africa’s FC Cape Town in 2015 was no doubt the game changer.
Ali Sundowns owner, Desmund Ali, who interestingly is a staunch Wolves supporter, said Munetsi has always distinguished himself because of his discipline and work ethic from a tender age.
Munetsi’s move was a dream come true in the eyes of the Harare banker.
“I never dreamt that Marshall would play for Wolves,” he told Zimpapers Sports Hub yesterday.
“Yes, here and there I would say he could probably make it in England. But you know, when you think about it, one out of 900 young players from academies make it into the English Premier League teams.
“So, you can imagine somebody coming from Africa.”
“God has got a way of working things out, and I’m so proud that he’s joined a team that I’ve supported and that I love. We have always believed that Marshall will be a big player, no doubt about it.
“You could see he was very disciplined and committed to everything that he did when he was on the football pitch; he displayed a lot of excellence,” said Ali.
Munetsi cut his teeth in football at Ali Sundowns when he was still a primary school learner at Donnybrook in Mabvuku.
As one of the outstanding players in the team, he earned a call-up to the Harare Under-14 selection at a time when the provincial junior football structures were still functional.
Ali, who, just like many junior football farmers, used his personal resources to finance the academy, is gratified to see one of his products making it big.
“I feel so proud that I played a part in my community, in my country. This is what we can do if we remain focused. I mean, it has been years of hard work since 2003, when we started Ali Sundowns.
“Marshall joined us when he was young, around 11-12 years, and you could always tell that the guy was destined for greater heights,” said Ali.
“Around 2010, he was selected for Harare province Under-14, and it showed us the potential that he had.
“I think we also need to acknowledge the other players who came in through this growth of Marshall to be where he is. I’ll talk of Zivanai Chiyangwa, who was the secretary-general of the Harare Junior Soccer League and the juniors’ coaches.
“When Marshall left us, he went to Friendly Academy, and we have to acknowledge the work done by Friendly Academy. We might have discovered Marshall, but he was polished at Friendly Academy by Partridge Muskwe.
“They did a good job with him, and later on they facilitated his going to Cape Town. So, football development is not about one person. It’s about all the pieces working together.”
Munetsi arrived at Friendly Academy around 2012 when he was 16 years old.
“I first came across this boy when he was playing for Ali Sundowns. We met again at the national Under-17 team when I was assistant to Lloyd Chigowe.
“Friendly Academy wanted to go on some tournament, and Ma Blanyo recommended this boy. That’s how it all started, and whatever is happening to him now, I told him before.
“After seeing his work ethic, discipline, and commitment, I told Marshall if you don’t lose focus one day, you will captain Zimbabwe and also play in one of the big leagues in Europe,” said Muskwe.
Munetsi featured for the now-defunct Blue Rangers in the Premiership as a teenager.
Friendly Academy then facilitated his breakthrough to South Africa in 2015 when FC Cape Town came knocking.
“It was a journey full of tribulations and not being appreciated by the football fraternity. But by God’s grace, here we are,” said Muskwe.
“Munetsi ended up in South Africa after Errol Dicks, the owner of FC Cape Town, had visited Harare to watch my academy’s progress.
“He stayed for two weeks and then took Munetsi, Tino Muskwe, Walter Sande, and another player called Derrick for trials at his club.
“He was impressed by the players, and Munetsi and Tino had to go back again. But Tino had to come back to Zimbabwe because I had organised for him college football in USA.
“Munetsi signed for FC Cape Town,” said Muskwe.
FC Cape Town held Munetsi in high regard.
“This prodigy is in the mould of a typical Yaya Toure. Big, strong, mobile, and a good passer of the ball,” the club said in a statement then.
The following year, in 2016, he was snapped up by Soweto giants, Orlando Pirates, who initially loaned him to fellow Supa Disk side, Baroka.
From Pirates, he joined French Ligue 1 outfit Stade de Reims in 2019 and established himself in five seasons to assume the captaincy at the club.
“The first time I got there, I didn’t think I would stay for that long, but considering what I went through with the club, I really enjoyed my time there, and I think now it’s probably the best time because I’ve gained so much experience,” Munetsi told the Wolves website following the move to the English Premiership.
“Being in the French league is also very tough, probably not as much as the Premier League, but I think it’s also quite competitive with the clubs that we have. So, I think those games will come in handy once I make this move.”
Munetsi signed a three-and-a-half-year deal at Wolves, with an option for a further year.
Online Reporter