Online Reporter
Blessing Malinganiza
Zimpapers Sports Hub
WOLVERHAMPTON Wanderers midfielder Tawanda Chirewa says he has been impressed by the standards in the domestic Premiership.
He watched his first local match on Saturday.
Chirewa watched the league match between Scottland and Herentals at Rufaro.
He was in the company of Warriors captain Marvelous Nakamba.
The two were wearing Scottland jerseys and watched the champions as they won 2-0.
The midfielder praised the competitiveness of the domestic league.
“The intensity surprised me in a good way. The quality is there and the competition is strong.
“There are a lot of players with potential and I think Zimbabwean football has a bright future if that talent continues to be nurtured,” said Chirewa.
Zimbabwean football has produced a number of players who are playing in Europe, North America and South Africa.They include Marshall Munetsi, Tino Kadewere and Teenage Hadebe who were all developed through the local set-ups before earning moves abroad.
Chirewa is spending part of his off-season break in the country, just like Nakamba and Jordan Zemura.
Chirewa described the local game as an undervalued talent factory capable of producing players who can compete on the biggest stages.
The Warriors midfielder, who recently featured for Zimbabwe at the Unity Cup in London, said:
“Zimbabwe has always had talented players. When you watch the local league, you can see the quality and the hunger that players have,” Chirewa said.
“A lot of people don’t always appreciate what the local game produces but many of our best players started here.
“The environment teaches many to be strong mentally, to be competitive and to find solutions in difficult situations.”
The 22-year-old believes those experiences help Zimbabwean players adapt quickly when they move to more competitive leagues overseas.
“I think the local game gives players character. You learn to deal with pressure, different conditions and different challenges. “Those lessons stay with you throughout your career,” he said.
Chirewa, who has emerged as one of the key figures in Zimbabwe’s new generation of players, urged young footballers to embrace opportunities within the domestic game and remain patient in their development.
“Every player wants to play at the highest level but the journey starts somewhere. “The local league can prepare you for bigger opportunities if you stay focused and continue working hard.”
His comments come at a time when the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is increasingly improving its value with several foreign players coming to join local clubs.
