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JOHANNESBURG. — Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Marshall Munetsi spoke about the challenges of having to settle down in France whilst also looking back at his struggles under former coaches Muhsin Ertugral and Milutin Sredojevic.

The Zimbabwe international footballer recently extended his contract with the French Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims, saying the Buccaneers helped him to choose a good team. Munetsi joined the Soweto giants from Cape Town All Stars and recalled how former Kaizer Chiefs manager Ertugral made it clear he was not part of his plans just before he joined Baroka on loan.

“When I went to Pirates I think that was the time when Eric Tinkler had left and there was Muhsin (Ertugral), he made it clear that he had no intention of playing me so they loaned me to Baroka,” Munetsi told MarawaSportsWorldwide.

“Baroka was a young team that I got a chance to play a lot of games and I think I had about three goals. When I returned to Pirates there was another change in the coaching department when Micho (Milutin Sredojevic) was coming in.

“At that time I think I also tried to go to Ajax Cape Town, but the deal fell through so obviously when coach Micho was there they had their own players and they had their own ambitions, so I had to sit out six months in the 2017/18 season without being registered or playing. It was a huge blow for me personally as a player as I was trying to make some strides after Baroka. And when they finally gave me a chance they said they wanted to use me as a central defender, but for me personally, I just wanted to play and I didn’t really care where I would be playing. After that a lot of people thought I was a centre-back.”

On life in Europe, the 23-year-old versatile player explained why it was a challenge for him to settle down in France.

“They made it very clear that they had been tracking my improvement since I was at Baroka and also for the Zimbabwe national team so they wanted me to play as a midfielder,” he added.

“It was a new challenge for me in a new continent and I had to make sure that I quickly adjust to the demands. I got into a team that had a lot of young players with a very good coach and they really helped me to settle down and the rest is history.

“We had a difficult situation before I signed (last year), but Orlando Pirates helped me to make the right decision because there were a couple of offers that were there. And for Reims to show faith in me, a young player who was not really playing at Pirates is amazing.”

The Warriors international left Pirates last year where his initial contract was set to expire in June 2023, but he’s now on a new and improved package that will keep him at the French club until June 2024.

Meanwhile, former Zimbabwe and Kaizer Chiefs utility player Robson Muchichwa has named Amakhosi forward Khama Billiat among the top five legendary Zimbabwean players to ever play in the South African top-flight league. Billiat is an undoubted Warriors poster boy who illuminated the Absa Premiership with his deft touches since crossing the Limpopo river to join Ajax Cape Town in 2010 before later signing for Pretoria-based Mamelodi Sundowns. He joined Kaizer Chiefs ahead of the 2018/19 season and is on course to winning another league title across the Limpopo.

While some sections of the South African media and other armchair analysts have been brutal in their assessment of the Warriors forward, especially since his move to Amakhosi, Muchichwa believes otherwise and named Billiat in his top five list alongside such greats as Ebson “Sugar” Muguyo, Peter Ndlovu, Wilfred “Silver Fox” Mugeyi and himself (Muchichwa).

“Khama is currently flying the Zimbabwean flag high, he continues to inspire the next generation of Zimbabwean footballers,” Muchichwa told the respected South African online publication KickOff yesterday.

For Khama to be named in the same line up as the former retired greats such as Muguyo and Mugeyi speaks volumes of the talent that the player has. Muguyo was one of the pioneers of Zimbabwean players to play in South Africa having joined Amakhosi in 1975 and became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Soweto Derby after Kaizer Chiefs walloped Orlando Pirates 5-1 in a BP Top 8 match in December 1975. Muguyo was to net nine times in the Soweto Derby before an injury induced retirement in 1980.

A larger-than-life-character, Ndlovu was the first black African player to play in the English Premier League when he turned out for Coventry City from Highlanders.

In South Africa he played for Mamelodi Sundowns and later Thanda Royal Zulu.

“I nominate myself as I did well at Qwaqwa Stars but my best football was with Amakhosi,” said Muchichwa, one of the best players to don the black and gold during his hey days, winning a number of trophies in the process. When Billiat joined Amakhosi ahead of the 2018/19 season, Muchichwa was the first to hail the move but cautioned against exerting too much pressure on the Zimbabwean international. And here are some of the reactions from the football fans in South Africa after Muchichwa’s comment yesterday:

Simphiwe Sithole: “Francis Shonhayi — defender (Cape Town City& AmaZulu)

Twenty1century: “Peter (Ndlovu) was probably top for playing in UK for Coventry City & marrying local is lekker, Sharon. In South Africa he never set the scenes alight.”

Patrick79: “Zambians are better than Zimbabweans”.  Tidos: “1. Musona; 2. Billiat; 3. Wilfred Mugeyi; 4. William Mugeyi; 5; Muchichwa; 6 Tauya Murewa”. Madimetja Dmax Mashao Tidos: “Benjani Mwaruwari”.  Bamjee: “Tinashe Nengomasha”. Tidos Madimetja Dmax Mashao: “How can I forget Mwaruwaru madoda”. — Goal.com-KickOff