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Paul Mundandi in ZVISHAVANE
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza says his biggest dream is to see Zimbabwe football take a huge step forward with a huge improvement in the standard of the game in the country and success for the national teams on the continent.

The former Warriors skipper and coach told The Herald that he dedicated his life to improving Zimbabwean football, when he chose to stay at home, when others were drifting to different parts of the world.

Mapeza would have stayed in Europe, where he played most of his club football, but chose to return home because he says that he feels he is on a mission to help Zimbabwean football.

“I have always said I am a football person. The greatest wish is for me to see the level of club football going a bar higher and for the national team to be at the Nations Cup and the World Cup finals,” said Mapeza.

“I believe we can do it as a nation.

“I am ready to help my country and that is the best thing I can do for Zimbabwe because I am a football person.

“Football is my life and I can’t be separated from football.

“Whoever is appointed the coach for the national team, I am prepared to give him my support because all I wish is to see our country at the Nations Cup and at the World Cup finals because I am proudly Zimbabwean.”

Mapeza has already won the league championship with Monomotapa and is now in charge of FC Platinum where the demands are the same — he needs to win a league title for the club.

He captured the Chibuku Super Cup last year and won the ticket into the Caf Confederation Cup where they were hammered 1-5 by Young Africans in a first round, first leg tie in Dar-es-Salaam last week. But all hope is not lost as their fans believe they will turn the tables at home at Mandava.