Plan for life after football: Kutyauripo
FORMER Dynamos and Caps United defender David Kutyauripo has urged Zimbabwean football players to be versatile in life so that they will have something to fall back on in difficult situations. Kutyauripo, who has played for several clubs including Harare City, is now the manager of Oxygen Gym, one of the biggest fitness centres at Joina City shopping mall in Harare, where several footballers, musicians and other individuals go for workouts.
Premier Soccer League teams such as Harare City, Herentals, Black Rhinos, former players Ashley Rambanepasi and Desmond Maringwa also patronise the place.
Musicians such as Freeman and Mudiwa frequent the gym too.
Kutyauripo got employed at the gym where he is also a fitness trainer in 2018 after a short stint as coach of lower division football side Mufakose United.
“Being a manager at a big company like Oxygen Gym is challenging. You always have lots of people coming to the gym and when there is a problem you have to be able to resolve it,” Kutyauripo said.
“The managerial role is quite a challenging position and I would like to thank God that I am multi-talented. Look at what has happened to football, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has affected footballers, especially in Zimbabwe. Imagine it’s almost a year now and no ball has been kicked.
“Footballers in Zimbabwe rely more on winning bonuses than monthly salaries, yet there has not been any football activity since the lockdown in March. Imagine how our players and even coaches are surviving. I encourage all football players to try to be versatile so that they will find something to fall back on when things are tough like now.”
The former defender retired from the game in 2015 to go into coaching having played for several clubs including Air Zimbabwe Jets, Njube Sundowns and Shooting Stars.
He also had stints with clubs in Albania and Cyprus, where he returned in 2004 before joining Dynamos two years later.
Kutyauripo said had it not been for his versatility, he would have struggled to cope with life upon retirement.
Remembered for constantly running his feet into the ground as a typical roving full-back during his time, he said he still trains every day, which has helped him keep his body weight in check.
“The good thing is that I don’t drink, neither do I smoke. I train every day and eat healthy food. That has really helped me because some people even think that I still playing,” he said.