From Mufakose to the cusp of English Premiership coaching badges

BY JIRVAS GWANZURA

LUTON, England – As the Zimbabwean diaspora continue to grow in faraway lands, especially in the United Kingdom, the southern African country has successfully tapped into British-born gifted footballers such as like Jordan Zemura and Tawanda Chirewa.

They have fitted nicely into the Zimbabwe team, and admirably embraced their Zimbabwean heritage, proudly passed down to them by their locally-born parents.

While it is the players that have shone brightly for now, let’s not forget other football personalities that are also flying high the Zimbabwean flag here in the UK.

One that particularly comes to mind is the hard-working Zimbabwe-born coach Kenny Mutsanya.

Coaching in the Premier League is the wildest dream of any football coach anywhere in the world.

Come to think of it: a boy who grew up in Mufakose, one of Harare’s most crowded black townships, will soon qualify to coach in the Premiership. That is the story of 40-year-old Mutsanya.

He currently holds a UEFA B qualification, which allows him to coach in the Championship League.

Harare-born Mutsanya lives in Hemel Hempstead, a small town between London and Luton.

Back home in Mufakose during his childhood years, Mutsanya played what they called “money games”, and of course schoolboy football.

Often, he fell foul of authorities at Mufakose 1 High School for not turning up for the school team, because he was playing street football.

Eventually the young Kenny joined local club, Zimbabwe Crackers, where he had a brief stint as a defender.

After moving to the UK, Mutsanya’s son, Joe, started to exhibit his footballing skills to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

Young Joe played for the Hemel Town Youth team with the full support of his father. At training sessions Kenny would watch closely, learning how the coaches went about their drills.

When the coach stepped down, Kenny was quick to offer himself to cover the void. This is when it all started.

It did not take long for the club to see the passion, love and remarkable coaching talent in Kenny.

Impressed by what they saw, the club offered to pay for Mutsanya’s coaching badges. Through that he earned a role with the National League side, Wealdstone, where he has now cemented a place.

Mutsanya has on four occasions guided a local Zimbabwe Select side to the AFCON UK title against sides of exiles from other parts of the African continent.

The chief reason for this story is to bear testimony that Zimbabwean talent is out there, and well respected, regardless of where one comes from.

At one point, Mutsanya looked to be on his way to a Conference League outfit. The move can still materialise.

My other point is that I believe its high time we involve guys like Mutsanya in our set-up in Zimbabwe. My wish is to see him in a system that put together home-grown players and our new findings abroad, particularly the United Kingdom. His understanding of both cultures will help nurture our future stars.

I believe Kenny is a perfect fit in the new Warriors set-up, as he can aptly advocate for our boys from different geographical locations.

His persona, which swings from a big brother and father to a thorough coach, will take our football to the next level.

I hope he will be seriously considered in a role and be given the space and time to show his worth to football in our beloved homeland.

*Jirvas ‘Jirvaldo’ Gwanzura is part the 263Rise initiative. He lives and works in Luton, UK.

Kenny Mutsanya is carving out a coaching career in the UK.