Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
RED-HOT TelOne FC striker Washington Navaya just can’t stop, and neither can the accolades.
The inform forward’s meteoric rise shows no signs of slowing after he was yesterday crowned Castle Lager Premiership Player of the Month for April, his second successive win.
With eight goals in 10 outings, Navaya continues to light up the league. His April honour comes hot on the heels of his March triumph, when he clinched the inaugural Player of the Month award for the 2024 season.
At the helm of the dugout, MWOS Head Coach Lloyd Mutasa bagged the Coach of the Month accolade, having steered his side to three solid 1-0 victories over ZPC Kariba, Herentals and Dynamos.
Both Navaya and Mutasa will receive prize money from the Premier Soccer League in recognition of their outstanding efforts.
Currently the league’s deadliest marksman, the former Highlanders forward has fired TelOne into fifth place on the table with 16 points. And yet, despite his blistering form, Navaya remains humble.
Speaking to Zimpapers Sports Hub, he admitted that not even in his wildest dreams did he imagine the season unfolding this way.
Having joined TelOne at the start of the season, the towering striker was on a mission, to rediscover his spark following an unremarkable three-year stint with the Bulawayo giants.
What followed was nothing short of a rebirth. Navaya clicked instantly, delivering a string of confident, consistent performances that have galvanised the Wi-Fi Boys’ campaign.
“When I heard the news, I could not believe it,” said a beaming Navaya.
“I do not know how best to describe how I feel right now. Part of me thinks someone will just come and tell me that it’s a prank of some sort.”
He said recognition of this magnitude was both an honour and a catalyst for him to dig deeper and strive for more.
“I do not want to view this as an achievement. Rather, it should be a motivation for me to keep working hard and surpass the mark I have set for myself and the club,” he added.
“When I came here, all I wanted was to work on myself and get back to my old form. I thought it was going to be a long process, but I can see that God had a bigger plan.
“I am grateful to my teammates, coaches, and everyone at TelOne. This is a team effort, and we have to keep pushing together to win more.”
TelOne Head Coach Herbert Maruwa has been equally impressed by Navaya’s rapid transformation and consistent fire-power.
He applauded the striker’s discipline and commitment, both on and off the pitch.
“I am very happy with this recognition, which means a lot for him, his mates, myself and the club,” said Maruwa.
“It brings so much joy for any coach when your player is recognised like this. It shows that our decision to bring him into the team was spot on.
“Since his arrival, you could tell he’s an exceptional talent. All we needed to do was work on his mentality, give him confidence, and bring him back into the game . . . and it worked.
“Winning the accolade twice on the bounce will also push the rest of the team, and other players out there, to step up. I’m sure most of them are itching to win it.”
Maruwa added that Navaya has what it takes to chase down a long-standing local league record.
“I wish him all the best, and I hope he keeps banging the goals in. By the end of the season, I’d love to see him surpass the 20-goal mark, a milestone that’s been eluding our league for some time.”
That record was set by Norman Maroto in 2010 when he found the back of the net 22 times for Gunners.
But Maruwa was quick to offer a word of caution.
“In football, you are only as good as your last game. And as a striker, he shouldn’t put himself under too much pressure, that might disrupt his rhythm,” he said.
“He just needs to play his normal game, enjoy it, work on his weaknesses, and everything else will fall into place. The goals will come.”
All eyes will be on Navaya again this Saturday when TelOne travel to face MWOS away at Ngoni.
Mutasa’s side have yet to taste defeat at home, and TelOne will be looking to break that unbeaten streak, with their talisman leading the charge.
