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KNOWLEDGE Musona, the Warriors captain, finally settled his immediate future this week when he sealed a permanent move to Saudi Arabia side Al-Tai FC, after years of plying his trade in Belgium.

His decision to commit the next few years of the remainder of his career, away from Europe, which has been his base in the past decade, ended speculation about his immediate future.

Although he still had one year on his contract with Belgian giants, Anderlecht, Musona’s career has been at the crossroads in the past few months.

It was very clear that he was unwanted at Anderlecht, with the club’s boss, former Manchester City captain, Vincent Kompany, insisting the Zimbabwe international forward did not feature in his plans.

He could not convert his loan deal with the other Belgian club, KAS Eupen into a permanent one, because the team could not afford the financial commitments that would come with employing the Warriors captain on a full-time basis.

Last season, KAS Eupen could afford to keep Musona because his parent club, Anderlecht, were picking a big part of his wages and allowances.

Without the input from Anderlecht, KAS Eupen made it clear they could not afford to bankroll Musona’s demands even though they wanted him to extend his stay after the success they enjoyed, together, last season.

Musona could have chosen, just to hang around at Anderlecht for the remainder of the coming season, getting his salary as per his contract, even without being fielded in any of the club’s matches.

But footballers want to be on the pitch, it’s what they enjoy best, it’s their passion, and the Warriors captain is not any different.

That’s why working in conjunction with his management team, they decided, when the Saudi club came with an offer, which they considered was within their expectations, to take the gamble.

It’s a different environment to what Musona had become used to, during his 10-year stay in Europe, and we have seen mixed reactions, from the local football fans, with some questioning his decision to play in the Middle East.

This group of critics believe the quality of football in that part of the world is at a lower level as compared to where Musona has been playing, and they fear the level of his game will take a huge knock.

They have a right to be concerned because Musona isn’t just another ordinary player in this country, he is the Warriors’ captain and, in the past decade, he has been our most inspirational player.

More often than not, when the going gets tough for our Warriors, Musona has always been the one who provides that flicker of inspiration to drag his team back into the game.

He has been the man for all seasons when it comes to our national team, a pillar of strength for his teammates, a symbol of hope for his coaches and the one who injects fear into the opposition.

So, we can understand the fears, among those who feel the level of performances, which they have always got from their skipper, will be affected because he will be playing in a league which they consider to be at a lower scale than where he is coming from.

We have also heard similar concerns from the same fans who also questioned why Teenage Hadebe, the rock in our defence, chose to leave Europe and sign for Houston Dynamo in the United States Major League Soccer.

However, we are happy that there is the other side, the people who have been praising both Hadebe, and Musona for making their moves.

In Musona’s case, we agree with the Footballers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general, Thomas Sweswe, who said he understands the reason the Smiling Assassin made his move, both in terms of securing his future and that of his family, and his desire to play regular football.

“I think going to Saudi Arabia is a good move in terms of monetary value,” Sweswe said this week.

“I think he had stayed long enough in Europe and this was another chance for him to pursue other challenges in life, and try football somewhere else, because you never know what will happen next.

“In Saudi Arabia, it is all about money and, because of his age, it is okay to go there. 

“He is now 31, so going to Saudi Arabia will make his life easier after football. Players struggle after football because they don’t have anything to fall on after their playing days, so going to Saudi Arabia will be good for him in terms of security for his future.”

We need a Musona who plays regularly, in terms of his value for the national team, and we also need a Musona whose future is secure, someone who is not having to deal with the pressure of wondering where he will play next, as has been the case in the recent past.

We have all seen what a settled Musona can deliver, for his country, when his focus is only on his game, someone whose concentration isn’t being affected by some other issues.

He is a great leader of our Warriors, and we are happy that, in the next couple of years, he won’t have to worry about which club he would be playing for.

We also feel that, at 31, this was the time for him to secure his immediate future, in terms of his financial considerations, and he has our support because he has always given his best for our country.