That’s the downfall to our football

STANDARD “I THINK THE A LITTLE HAS GONE DOWN BACK BIT. I FEEL LIKE WAS MORE THEN, THE PSL FROM COMPETITIVE THE TABLE THE TOP OF GOING DOWN.”

Benjani Mwaruwari is regarded as one of the best Zimbabwean footballers to have graced the PSL during a short stint with Jomo Cosmos before making a big move to Europe, where he played in Switzerland, France, and England. The former Zimbabwe captain rose to prominence in the early 2000s and never looked back after leaving the PSL for greener pastures donning the colours of famous European clubs such as Grasshoppers, Auxerre, Portsmouth, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers. Benjani took time-off from his busy schedule, as a youth coach at Plymouth Argyle Academy in England, to take a stroll down memory lane on his illustrious career with Soccer Laduma’s Mikia Kalati.

Mikia Kalati: Benjani, you were an instant hit in the PSL after joining Jomo Cosmos, and within no time you were turning heads in Europe.

Benjani Mwaruwari: Look, when I came from Zimbabwe to South Africa, I found myself playing in a very solid team with good mentorship in legendary Jomo Sono and it was very easy to make an immediate impact. It was easy for me to make a name for myself based on the quality of players that surrounded me in that Cosmos team. I didn’t take time to gel with my teammates because, when you have quality players around you, it becomes very easy to shine. I mean, there was Manuel ‘Tico Tico’ Bucuane, MacBeth Sibaya, Teboho Mokoena, Godfrey Sapula, Jabulani Mendu. Every player in that team had what it takes to play abroad.

MK: Are you still in contact with the legendary Jomo Sono?

BM: That one is my father, we have never stopped talking, he has been my mentor throughout, and I have always been in contact with him since I left Cosmos for Switzerland. It’s a father and son relationship.

MK: Was there interest from the likes of Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns before you joined Cosmos?

BM: When I came to South Africa, I must be honest, I didn’t know who was who, because at that time I was not following that much of South African football. The fact that Cosmos, in those days, was doing well and had players in the Bafana Bafana squad like Teboho Mokoena, MacBeth Sibaya and others didn’t make that difference for me. In the end, it was a good team which I felt would help me achieve what I wanted. My time with Cosmos was sweet and short. I remember very well that I was a player for the big occasions because I scored against Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns. The atmosphere in those games was out of this world. Each of those teams had good players, which made the league very competitive.

MK: Looking back at your career, were you not surprised at how quickly you became a global superstar after leaving Zimbabwe?

BM: It’s amazing how my career turned out, honestly. I have always regarded myself as a strange player because everything happened so quickly from my time in Zimbabwe, joining Cosmos, going to Grasshopper in Switzerland, Auxerre in France and then England, where I started out at Portsmouth which was followed by the big move to Manchester City. As much as all came as a surprise, I think the key for me was hard work. I was that player who always worked his socks off. From my time coming through the ranks in Zimbabwe, I worked very hard to improve my game and I think all the success I had, was arewardofthehardw ork I put in the training ground.

MK: How difficult was it for you to adapt to a different environment after moving to Europe?

BM: I must admit, it was a totally different culture from Cosmos to Europe. The most important thing, for a player when he m oves to Europe, is to adapt and it’s not easy because now you are on your own. Y our family is not there, no friends, the weather is different, the food. Everything is the opposite of what you grew up knowing. I gradually adapted as I moved from country to country, but I think I learnt a lot in Switzadapting erland about to life in Europe. It prepared me for my next destination because when I moved to Auxerre in France, Iknewwhattoexpect.I knew what was going to h appen in terms of the weather and everything. I was no longer a stranger to European lifestyle and that helped me to adapt quickly to my new club in France and those that followed when I moved to England.

MK: What would be your advice to Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster in his quest to become a household name in England with Burnley?

BM: I think he is a good striker, a good finisher, but unfortunately playing for survival comes with a lot of pressure for both the player and his club. I was once in a similar situation at Pompey (Portsmouth), fighting relegation while the goals were not coming. I know he had a breakdown recently, which I think affected his progress at Burnley, but to succeed in Europe especially in England, you need to be physically and psychologically strong. I hope he continues to do well and help his team do well as well.

MK: You hit the ground running after moving to England, which led to a big move to Manchester City, where you scored in your Manchester Derby during the era of Sir Alex Ferguson. It must have been a special moment for you scoring in the Manchester derby and of course against the likes of Liverpool? BM: Prices less, it’s a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life. What made it special was that, when I joined City, they had not won a game against United at Old Trafford in 35 years, I think. So, that made it very special being able to help my club re-write the history books and end the long dominance as you know the success of Manchester United under Sir Alex is well documented.

MK: Do you still follow the PSL and what do you make of the standard having come to play at the likes of Wits and

Chippa in the twilight of your career?

BM: I think the standard has gone down a little bit. I feel like back then, the PSL was more competitive from the top of the table going down. Let’s talk strikers because I was a striker and that’s where the focus is. I know a lot of people are complaining that strikers of today are not scoring as many goals as we did. For me, the problem is lack of creativity. Strikers depend on the creativity of midfielders to score goals. Midfielders should make it easy for strikers to score goals. In those days it was not only about Chiefs, Pirates or Sundowns. Remember a team like Mthatha Bush Bucks, was a very competitive team, and they had the likes of Wilfred Mugeyi competing for the Golden Boot award because their midfielders were helping strikers to score goals. There was Thabo Mngomeni and the guy, who is now a coach at Royal AM, John Maduka. Pirates had the likes of Steve Lekoelea and at Chiefs there was Doctor Khumalo, Thabo Mooki and later Jabu Pule (Mahlangu). Give me three creative midfielders from the current crop of players from PSL teams that have been consistent. I think that’s the downfall to our football. Everybody used to enjoy watching the PSL teams because they had creative players, and it was easy for strikers to score regularly. Maybe we need to go back to what we were doing back then when we develop young players. For me, we have the talent in Africa, but we don’t know how to develop players. If we develop well, we will excel as the continent. We need to give players the resources.

MK: Mamelodi Sundowns continue to dominate the PSL with five successive league titles over the last five years. What should Chiefs and Pirates do to challenge for trophies again?

BM: To catch up with Sundowns, Pirates and Chiefs must put up proper structures. They must buy all the good players locally and outside. If Sundowns can buy good players, Chiefs and Pirates can do that as well. Sundowns have been taking all the good players. The best way for them to compete is for them to keep their best players and build their teams around them. If they keep losing their best players to Sundowns, then they don’t stand any chance of competing. Don’t allow them to dismantle your teams like they have been doing but keep your star players so that you have a chance to compete with them. For now, I think it will take time to catch up because they need financial support to be able to get the best players from other teams like Sundowns has been doing. Chiefs and Pirates need to do the same. Find the right balance, build a good team by getting all the players that are better from the other PSL teams. Bring all the cream.

MK: Not many South African players are making it into the English Premier League like in the past when we had the likes of Lucas Radebe, Shaun Bartlett, Mark Fish, Quinton Fortune, Steven Pienaar and Benni McCarthy?

BM: Look, I think South African players are comfortable in the PSL because they have everything. There is no will and drive. For me it’s very good to go and learn from Europe. We have the talent, but technical discipline is lacking in our leagues back in Africa, which is working against our players’ development. Our players need to have the ambition to go and play in Europe.

MK: Who of the

coaches you worked with had a big influence in you becoming a coach?

BM: I worked with over 25 coaches throughout my career. Jomo Sono, Gavin Hunt, Clemens Westerhof, Marcel Koller, currently coaching at Al Ahly, was my first coach when I arrived at Grasshoppers, there was also the likes of Roberto Mancini, Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Sven-Goran Eriksson and of course Harry Redknapp just to name a few. I took all the good things that can help me in my journey from all of them. I can make an example with Redknapp, who was good with man-management of players and, as a coach, if you are good at that, then you are guaranteed to get 98% from your players.

MK: You have now followed in their footsteps by becoming a coach having coached in your country and now at Plymouth Argyle Academy in England.

BM: I’m equipping myself with all that will make me a better coach and hopefully all will work out as planned. I would love to coach back home and share the experience I have gathered throughout the years in football as I’m currently at Plymouth learning and developing as a coach.

MK: Zimbabwe was in 2023 re-admitted back to international football after a ban that lasted over a year. Are you happy with the progress made since FIFA lifted the ban?

BM: I’m happy though I feel a lot should have been done by now. I would give the Normalization Committee 40/% because somehow, I think they have been too slow and too shy to move things quicker. They need to speed up things, they have tried, and they are still cleaning up in getting us back where we belong. I think they need to push more and fix all the challenges that are facing football in Zimbabwe. Football can change lives, so, I’m more than happy that our teams are back playing international football and players have opportunities that we also had to go and play abroad.

MK: Were you surprised to learn that Khama Billiat has made a return to Zimbabwe after a spell out not playing following his controversial departure from Kaizer Chiefs?

BM: It didn’t surprise me because as a player, we all need to play. He had to find a team so that he is back playing, which can open other opportunities for him. We know that teams do not want to pay more money for players, and he was in a tricky situation when he was not getting a club. I have seen players retire from such situations. I support what he did because if you are good, you are good. Other opportunities and teams looking for him will come.

MK: Zimbabwe had the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Peter Ndlovu and yourself regarded as the best players in the early 1990s. Who do you think are the players that have taken over the baton?

BM: Marvelous Nakamba and Marshall Munetsi have showed that they can do something by following in our footsteps. I think they are players that have taken over the baton and have put Zimbabwean football on the map.

MK: Do you have any regrets on the career that you had as a player?

BM: Not at all. I would be lying if I said I have regrets. Yes, there were ups and downs, which is part of learning to have downfalls and they help you to become a better person. I’m grateful for the career, I think I had a beautiful career. I played in five countries. Started in my home country, came to South Africa, went to Grasshopper then Auxerre before going to England. I came up against the best defenders in the world, I know my former teammate Andrew Rabutla was famous for being a no-nonsense defender. I played against other tough defenders like Nemanja Vidic, who was at Manchester United and John Terry, who was the Chelsea captain in those days.