adminPaul Mundandi Zvishavane Correspondent
TEENAGE FC Platinum midfielder Wisdom Mutasa, son to club coach Lloyd, has stoked flames ahead of their big match against Dynamos this afternoon at the National Sports Stadium.The Mutasa family has unfinished business with the Glamour Boys after the team showed Lloyd and his technical team the exit door in 2011.
Dynamos is the team that provided Wisdom’s father the platform to express his talent and transform himself into a football star, storming into the Champions League final in 1998 under Sunday Marimo. He was later dumped when his return to the team as coach did not yield immediate results.
“Beating Dynamos tomorrow afternoon will be a perfect birthday present for me and I am just praying that I will score. I respect the institution outside the pitch but once I get on the turf I will be at work and since my days at Motor Action I reserve my best for Dynamos.
“Dynamos are a big team but they have to be careful because I would not want to lose on my birthday. I have to fight hard for my father, the team, our executive and the fans and that can only be done by beating the defending champions tomorrow afternoon,’’ said the teenage sensation yesterday.
Wisdom played a part for FC Platinum against Dynamos in April after coming in as a substitute in the 46th minute in the Independence Cup final and fell under a clumsy challenge from Tichaona Mabvura.
His effort in the 80th minute from a freekick hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced back into play.
“Wisdom will be a better player than me. He is good at freekicks. He can dribble and he has power compared to me. He still has a long way to go but he is improving. I always want him to do better and at FC Platinum I always want him to do better than anyone and I always punish him since I want him to set a good example. I started playing at 23 and he came into the scene five years earlier.
“When he make mistakes I do not feel good. He must give others the example and must know better what I want than others but I am very proud of him,” said Lloyd.
True to his words, if his son commits a dangerous tackle he finds himself out of the team. He is expected to arrive in time for practice and if any player commits a bad tackle on him his father just encourages him to be strong.
“I am the son of the coach but I urge fans not to give me special treatment because I do not deserve it but I want them to treat me just like any other player.
“I have pressure to prove to him that I am capable and every time I must set a good example to others because I am the coach’s son.
“My dad is hard at me at times but I don’t take it to the heart because he is moulding me to be a better player. I have to give him my all.
“I am good at curling the ball, taking penalties and freekicks and I feel that I am going to be better than him,” said the son of the former great.
Wisdom might be very correct as he has already been to Switzerland last year for a tournament and played against Deportivo (Brazil), Atletico Madrid (Spain) and Basel (Switzerland).
A product of Shiriyedenga Primary School, Churchill Aces Academy and an admirer of Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, the young man has a heart of a lion and he feels one day together with his friends, Walter Musona and Tatenda Mudehwe they will form the core of the national team.
derick.khumalo