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Hardlife Zvirekwi

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter—

AFTER a fantastic domestic season, the 2016 Soccer Star of the Year Hardlife Zvirekwi, says he is relishing the chance to feature for Zimbabwe at the African Cup of Nations in Gabon next month.Warriors coach Callisto Pasuwa is expected to announce his enlarged squad for the tournament next week.

The national team have been scheduled to go into camp on Unity Day before they fly to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, for a friendly international on Boxing Day against the West Africans.

With Pasuwa already indicating he will stick with most of his troops who earned the team an AFCON ticket, Zvirekwi is virtually assured a place in the final traveling party to Gabon.

The CAPS United utility player has been consistent as the Warriors right back.

Zvirekwi says he would want to carry the form he had this season to Gabon, where the Warriors are in a tough group where they will face Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.

“I am happy and praying that I carry that form to the African Cup of Nations but I am keeping my feet on the ground and I will not get carried away because I haven’t achieved anything yet,” said Zvirekwi.

“If I am given a chance to take part, I am ready to play my part.

“We are going to the African Cup of Nations carrying an underdog tag but that is good for us. But what I know is that we are not going there to make up numbers.”

Zvirekwi was named the CAPS United Player of the Year on Thursday night.

Not many people are giving Zimbabwe a chance to progress from the group stages with top ranked Algeria and Senegal tipped to advance and go far in this tournament.

But the former Gunners defender, who if selected, will be making his debut at the African Cup of Nations, has garnered experience playing in the African Nations Championship, a tournament reserved for players plying trade in domestic leagues.

“We are aware of the opposition we are going to face in Gabon. We always talk to each other, with other foreign-based players, discussing how our opponents are playing at their respective clubs and how to counter them.

“We just have to give them due respect but I don’t think we are afraid of them. We will go with all guns blazing,” said Zvirekwi.

However, there is barely going to be any rest for Zvirekwi for the next three months as CAPS United are still training and will only break camp this weekend.

The Warriors defender is expected to get into the camp with the national team next Thursday, to begin preparations for the AFCON tournament.

After AFCON, the defender, who is also comfortable in midfield, will rejoin his club teammates at CAPS United as they would be stepping up preparations for the Champions League which is scheduled to start mid-February.

But Zvirekwi says he has gotten used to congested pre-seasons.

“It is always a challenge and I am not going to get much of rest but I will maximise on the little time of rest I have.

“We have been training since the season ended and I am managing and I am kind of used to this.

“Last year in December we went into camp to prepare for the CHAN tournament in Rwanda in January and it was the same case with the previous CHAN in South Africa and I am sure I can manage,” he said.

Turning to his future plans, following a good season where he was finally honoured, the 29-year-old said God is in control.

“God always has good plans for everyone. I am just believing in Him to get there.

“It is every player’s dream to play at the highest level, hopefully when the chance comes to move, I will grab it by with hands.

“So far it has been only rumours doing rounds, but I am still contracted to CAPS United until 2018 and I will stay at the club unless something tangible comes up,” said Zvirekwi.