 Posted Saturday, 09 January 2010 09:40
ZIMBABWE'S latest football prodigy, Knowledge Musona, who is now turning out for South African premiership giants, Kaizer Chiefs says he hopes to, one day, play for a top in top club in Europe.
Reflecting on his first six months at Chiefs, the teenage sensation told New Zimbabwe.com: "It gives me joy to be here (at Chiefs) and I thank God for giving me the opportunity to play for the biggest club in South Africa. Words, alone, cannot express my happiness because I know there are many talented players that will never get this far.
"This is the best team for me to advance my football career (because) it gives me the platform to move to Europe... In football it is all about luck and how you use it and I think I am using mine appropriately."
Musona, who played for the Black Aces Youth Academy in Zimbabwe, was signed by Kaizer Chiefs six months ago before he had turned out for any of Zimbabwe's Premier League clubs.
Although he featured for the national Under-17 side which he also captained, Musona was an unknown quantity on the local scene until his recent performances for the South African giants.
The striker, who is now back at his base in South Africa after spending the festive season with his family in Harare was described by Under-17 coach Rodwell Dhlakama as a natural talent.
The 19 year old, whose rise from the backyards of Norton to a life in the fast lane of Johannesburg is the stuff of dreams for many, is the fifth-born in a family of six and did his Ordinary Levels at Lord Malvern High School.
He also says he did not even have football boots when he started his career.
"I did not want to play football at first because I was meeting big boys and did not have soccer boots. The owners of my first club bought me my first pair football boots when I was in Form One.
"I remember my brother, George, inviting me to play for his team but I decided to join their rivals and did wonders for them. I eventually joined my brother's team a year later where I was spotted by Aces where I quickly realised that I had to be serious with football. I lived at the academy, going to school in the morning and playing football in the afternoon."
His brother, George, also spoke about his sibling's early foot-balling days.
"He was not the best of students in class academically, so I encouraged him to take football seriously. I later recruited him into my team, Haka because I had seen how good he was.
“When he joined us he scored in his first game, direct from a corner kick. It was not surprising that he was playing in the first team at only 14," said George.
Musona says while he is having the time of his life at Chiefs, he sometimes feels home sick.
"I am still only 19 and obviously I miss my mom and the rest of family. But I have been coping because I was used to staying alone, not seeing my family when I was at the Aces Youth Academy.
“I just have to adapt to this life of staying alone. But doing one’s own cooking, washing and cleaning the house is, sometimes, not nice for a young boy.
“Back home you just throw dirty clothes into the washing basket and you know mom will wash them for you. But there is no mom in South Africa, and I have had to grow-up quickly and learn to be responsible.
Musona who has been earning rave reviews since joining Chiefs is also beginning to attract comparisons with Peter Ndlovu, one of the finest footballers to come out of Zimbabwe.
Source Newzimbabwe.com
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