BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – Zimbabwe rising star Tawanda Chirewa has praised the impact of the country’s new football coach Michael Nees, commenting that the charismatic German tactician, who was appointed in July, has a “lot of information” on the game.
The Warriors open their Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign against Kenya at Kampala’s Mandela National Stadium in Uganda on Friday before completing the early double-header against Cameroon at the same venue on Tuesday.
“He’s been a good manager, a good coach, someone who has a lot of information on the game,” 20-year-old skilful winger and forward Chirewa told Zifa’s media department on Wednesday.
“He is someone who can help us to develop as a team and have a lot of structure in place in this qualifying campaign – do well and qualify for Afcon.”
Chirewa – who played a blinder in Zimbabwe’s 3-1 World Cup qualification defeat away to South Africa in June and scored the Warriors’ consolation goal in that match – is currently on loan to second-tier English club Derby County from Premiership side Wolves.
English-born Chirewa is keen on helping the Warriors qualify for the 2025 Afcon finals in Morocco.
“Definitely, playing for my country is something I’m tremendously proud to do and each time (I play) I feel like having an extra gear, because it’s something that means a lot to me,” he said.
“So definitely in those two games I’m trying to help the team score, assist, (and) defend as well as I can for the team. To qualify, that’s the main target. Anyhow we have to qualify we can qualify, I think. These two games will be a good indicator of how we are as a team, but we can also grow. This is our first camp with the manager so I expect us to win games and play at a high level. People watching at home, I’m just thankful for the support. Us on the pitch will try do as much as we can to make you guys proud, which I’m definitely sure will happen 100 percent.”
New coach Nees (57) will be taking charge of the Warriors for the first time.
