Role switch works wonders

LENNOX Mucheto was a largely unknown quantity until the Warriors’ doomed Cosafa Cup campaign in South Africa.

Thrown in the deep end at right-back, Mucheto provided a silver lining, in the darkness, which engulfed Zdravko Logarusic’s charges.

Yet, the script would have been different had his Yadah coach, Genesis Mangombe, not decided to switch him from midfield to defence.

Mucheto was close to quitting the game, before even making his Premiership breakthrough.

Arriving at Yadah from Division One side Mwenezana, Mucheto wouldn’t get a midfield role, competing against established players like Nkosi Mhlanga, Wellington Kamudyariwa, Enock Karembo, among others.

“I was frustrated as I couldn’t really break into the team,” said Mucheto.

“I could see how good my competitors were and at one point I contemplated quitting

‘’The coach sat me down and knocked a lot of sense in me . It was at that point that I felt important again and I told myself that I was going to work extra hard to earn a place in the team.”

But, Mucheto would still fail to make the team until then Yadah right-back Gift Mugabe, was red-carded, in a 1-1 league draw against Dynamos, in 2019.

Mangombe didn’t have a natural wingback, to play that role, in Yadah’s following fixture, against CAPS United.

It was at that point Mangombe turned to Mucheto.

“I was cracking my head ahead of that fixture. I only had one natural player for that position,” Mangombe recalled.

“I quickly scanned my squad list and I told myself that if I could just psyche up Mucheto, he would play that position.

“I instantly trusted my instincts and I called Mucheto and told him that he would play at right-back.

“The boy is not afraid of anything. He is not afraid of making mistakes and I knew that was a strength he possessed.

“Other players, and even my technical team, objected but I stood by my decision.

“He went on to outperform every player in the game, in the tie against CAPS United. That is how we converted him from midfield to defence.

“I am proud of what he has achieved now. Even when he was called for the national team, I knew he would do wonders, because he is not afraid of making mistakes..