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Bruce Chikuni Sports Reporter

LEGENDS Academy duo of Calum English-Brown and Augustine Banhire were stunned by Everton stars, who took their time to share their experience during their week-long visit to Finch Farm.

Finch Farm is the training ground for Everton, who are perennial fighters in the English Premier League.

Legends Academy became an affiliate of Everton earlier this year.

The deal seeks to broaden the expertise of Everton’s player development process to the affiliated teams.

The intention of this trip was to assess Legends Academy players about how they have been adapting to this technical support, which they are being equipped with. Legends Academy’s director, Farai Dhliwayo, was also part of this trip.

Banhire is based in England and also came through the ranks of Bournemouth youth system.

White Lion was said to have been impressive during their short stay at Finch Farm. He is currently club hunting and Dynamos are considered to be among the front runners for his signature.

Unfortunately, some of the academy’s recruits failed to make this trip due to complications in acquiring their visas.

Everton scouts have agreed to visit Zimbabwe mid-next-year to assess every Legends Academy registered player.

Gueye and Danjuma spent time with Legends Academy recruits and walked them through their journey to the top.

Banhire told Zimpapers Sports that they were given a warm welcome by Gueye and Danjuma.

Gueye is a Senegal international while Danjuma was born in Nigeria.

Danjuma once shared the dressing room with Warriors skipper, Marvelous Nakamba at Club Brugge in Belgium.

Banhire said the humility of the Everton stars was inspiring.

“We had a good time at Finch Farm, we learnt a lot of good things on and off the field.

“It was a great learning process and meeting the team’s stars having a conversation with them was more than what we expected.

“When we first saw them, I thought they were just going to greet us and go but they proved me wrong, they shared with us their inspiring background and we were really motivated,” said Banhire.

White Lion was also pleased after learning Everton players individual training regime.

“This trip forced me to change and drop many habits. It was encouraging to know how the big boy’s do their individual training to keep fit and to work on their weaknesses which is something which we rarely do in Zimbabwe.

“I also learnt what keeps them going, they are never satisfied with where they are they train and fight like they haven’t achieved anything that was one of the things which I noted.

“They are so down to everything they do and it was a good learning curve,” said White Lion.