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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
WARRIORS forward Tino Kadewere is aware of the weighty expectations on his shoulders ahead of his second season at French Ligue 1 football giants Olympique Lyon.

Kadewere (25) joined Lyon from French second tier side Le Havre last season and proved his mettle in his first term, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists to help the team secure UEFA Europa League qualification.

But, he knows the second season brings with it a new set of challenges.

“It’s natural. If one has had a good debut season, he is naturally expected to do even better in the next season,” said Kadewere, who was part of a squad of 27 Lyon players who, on Monday, travelled to a week-long pre-season training camp in Murcia, Spain.

The Lyon pre-season training camp will run until July 26 and they will be under the guidance of their new Dutch coach Peter Bosz.

Bosz replaced Rudi Garcia following the expiry of the Frenchman’s contract at the end of the French Ligue 1 2020/21 season in May.

“One ought to be mature and work extra hard,” Kadewere said. “It is always difficult to replicate form but one can do better with extra effort.

“I am happy with the way things unfolded in my first season.

“I even doubted myself and I know a lot of people even doubted me.

“But then with hard work and God, things worked out well for me.

“I am one person who always believes in working hard. I put that extra effort into my work and I am glad it is always rewarding me. I am happy, very happy with how everything panned out.

“Lyon is one of the biggest clubs not only in France but in Europe as well so to be retained by such a magnificent club means one would have done something good.”

The former Harare City striker said he will continue doing what he has always done to fend off the second-season syndrome.

“Like I have said, it is always difficult to replicate what one did in their debut season, especially if it was a decent showing.

“I am aware of that and I know it’s mental. One needs a good mentality to fight that off. I have had a very good rest in the off-season at home.

“That should spur me on. I have a fresh pair of legs on me and I believe I will be able to deliver in the field of play. Of course, there are a lot of factors which can lead one into having bad second seasons but I know how to deal with each of them. The biggest secret is to put maximum effort on the job.

“Of course, I have had a good debut but honestly I am still learning. I have picked some key lessons playing in the French top-flight but I am still learning the ropes. This coming season will define me as a player. I am committed to playing my heart out. I am going to work even harder and prove my worth. But ultimately, the aim is to help Lyon achieve their targets.”

The 25-year-old Zimbabwean striker will be playing in the UEFA Europa League for the first time in his career and he is excited lot.

“It’s a good feeling. I have never played in the European club competitions before. The aim was to try and help my club qualify for the UEFA Champions League but unfortunately it wasn’t to be.

“We tried all we could as a team but we couldn’t attain what we had set out to achieve. But still I am glad we managed to qualify for the UEFA Europa League which is the second tier tournament.

“I am very excited with that development and I am looking forward to making my debut appearance in that tournament. You know when you are a footballer, one thing you definitely want to do is play against the best and be involved in those big tournaments.

“I am looking forward to playing in the UEFA Europa League. There is a lot of competition in that competition and I will be out to also enjoy myself as a player. It’s a platform that players around the world yearn for. So for me, it’s something that I am looking forward to with keen interest. I hope the season will be good for me and my team.”

THE LYON SQUAD FOR THE TRAINING CAMP

IN MURCIA, SPAIN

Lopes, Pollersbeck, M.Barcola, D.Da Silva, Denayer, Diomande, Dubois, Gusto, Henrique, Koné, Lukeba, Marcelo, Aouar, Caqueret, F.Da Silva, Jean Lucas, H.Keita, Thiago Mendes, Thomas, B.Barcola, Bossiwa, Cherki, Cornet, Dembélé, Tino Kadewere, Slimani, Toko Ekambi.