Mwafulirwa yearns for the return of Lancaster

the Kwekwe side following their demotion from the Premier League at the end of the 2008 season.
By then Mwafulirwa was now in the twilight of his career and had been roped as a player/assistant coach at Baghdad. The coaching foundation laid at Lancashire Steel saw Mwafulirwa taking up a job at Mimosa, the owners of FC Platinum, where he is the head coach for the Under-17 side.
He also doubles up as the assistant coach for the FC Platinum Under-19 side, which won promotion into the Zifa Central Division One championship for this season.
Mwafulirwa works with John Phiri, who is the head coach for the 2011 Midlands Division Two winners.
Although his heart is now at FC Platinum, where his bread is buttered, Mwafulirwa still has a soft spot for Lancashire Steel. “I am in charge of the Under-17 team at FC Platinum and I work with John Phiri as his assistant in the Under-19. “We have won the Division Two championship and our aim is to produce at least five players every year who could be able to play in the Premiership.
“The Under-17 team feeds into the Under-19 and we also have structures for the Under-15. So far I am happy to be at FC Platinum and working with the junior teams.
“I am sure in the next three years we should not be going on the market but producing our players to the senior side,” said Mwafulirwa.
Now walking on a pair of 37-year of legs, Mwafulirwa has the passion to groom youngsters.
“I was happy with the system at Lancashire Steel. The team scouted players and produced some of the best players. We were a decent team and at one time every team in the Premiership had a player who came from Lancashire Steel.
“Players like Norman Nkomani, Kingstone Rinemhota, Justice Majabvi, Washington Arubi, George Magariro, Costa Maradzike, Farayi Vimisayi, Tongai Magwendere and Simba Jongwe came through.
“The junior policy at Lancashire Steel was very strong and that’s why they managed to get the players.
“It was unfortunate that they were relegated but I still have a soft spot for them,” said Mwafulirwa.
During his time at Lancashire, Mwafulirwa never won the league championship but was pleased with his contribution.
“I started playing serious football at Lulu Rovers alongside Benjani (Mwaruwari), John Toto Ncube and Cyprian Kanyemba (late).
“I think Andrew Kawaza was the coach and I then joined Lancashire Steel when they were in Division One,” he said.
For all his career, Mwafulirwa never played for the national team. “Maybe I was never given a chance as our team was rarely considered. The other factor was my origin and some people even up to now mistake me for a Zambian,” said Mwafulirwa.
He believes former CAPS United forward Mike Temwanjira was a tricky customer. “Mike was heavily built and was good at aerial balls. He was one of the toughest opponents I played against,” said Mwafulirwa.
Lancashire are currently playing in the Zifa Central Division One with their former star, Petros Sibanda, as coach and should be playing against Mwafulirwa’s FC Platinum Under-19 in the league.