‘All his own work’
office has a special task to protect their man.
Club Brugge head of communication Kirsten Willem reckons the fast-rising Zimbabwean star needs time to settle before the media zooms in on him.
“I don’t think it will be possible (to talk to him) now because we are playing in Europe and the league has just started. Give him a little more time and you will talk to him,” said Willem.
Belgium football analysts have mixed opinions over Nakamba, with John Chapman – Uefa-accredited journalist who writes on Belgian football for ESPN – describing the Zimbabwean’s move to Brugge as a step in the right direction.
“Good for Marvelous Nakamba to play for Club Brugge,” Chapman tweeted just before Brugge’s Uefa first leg encounter against Istanbul.”
Will Downing, a football and athletics commentator for various channels including Fox Sports, thinks the jury is still out on Nakamba.
“Club Brugges have just signed Marvelous Nakamba. Marvelous, eh? I’ll be the judge of that,” he tweeted on July 29 as Club Brugge prepared to take on Lokeren.
But there is no denying the fact that there is a strong belief at Brugge – his appearance on the match day poster for the club’s first leg Uefa qualifier against Istanbul being testimony – that the Zimbabwean can blossom at the Belgian giants. BANTU ROVERS do not want to take too much credit for Marvelous Nakamba’s stunning rise, despite being the club having nurtured him.
Club director Methembe Ndlovu reckons the midfielder’s hard work and humility have done the trick.
“We wouldn’t want to take much credit for Nakamba’s rise. Look, the young man has done most of it on his own because he is the one playing. He is a hard worker, very humble and always willing to learn. These are some of the values he learnt back in the days when we worked together,” said Ndlovu.
Bantu Rovers have also churned out players like 2015 Soccer Star of the Year Danny “Deco” Phiri, Kuda Mahachi, Khumbulani Banda, Raphael Kutinyu, Teenage Hadebe, Kelvin and Elvis Moyo as well as Nqobizitha Masuku.
Recently they exported the Premiership’s top goal scorer, Bukhosi Sibanda, and Obriel Chirinda to South African National First Division side Ubuntu Cape Town FC.
And Ndlovu says for them results on the pitch come second to player development even when they are stuck in the relegation zone as is the case at the moment.
“We will still push for results because our plan works well when we are in the Premiership but the most important thing is to develop players. We are not greedy for success and that’s why we will continue playing these youngsters. Yes, we want to survive relegation but that is not important,” he said.
After watching the pre-season Audi Cup final in which Liverpool fielded 17-year-old forward Ben Woodburn against Atletico Madrid last Wednesday, Ndlovu was left convinced Zimbabwean coaches needed to change their mindset.
“Things have changed the world over. We call someone with 23 years a young player here in Zimbabwe but in Europe you see 17-year-olds making it into big clubs.
“I believe youngsters have to be given the chance to play. Players have to be competitive at a very young age and that’s why you find that a number of players made their PSL debut at Bantu Rovers.
“However, it is important to emphasise that the youngsters should not be played for the sake of it, they have to earn the right to play,” said Ndlovu, who plans to unleash 15-year-old starlet Sibusiso Moyo in the coming months.