The Sunday Mail
Makomborero Mutimukulu – Sports Editor
THIS IS GOODBYE . . . Former CAPS United left-back Ronald Pfumbidzai salutes the club’s fans, some of whom have taken to Facebook to wish him well at his new Danish club Hobro IK — Pictures: Kudakwashe Hunda
RONALD PFUMBIDZAI begins life at Hobro IK tomorrow with some Danish lessons, a strict eating diet and intensive conditioning workouts.
The Warriors left-back, who left the country last Thursday, is talented, but too lightweight to face the demands of European football, officials at the Danish Superliga side reckon.
Hence, they have crafted a programme that should see the former Caps United man, who weighs just over 65 kgs, adding some flesh to his frame.
“It’s a whole new world,” Pfumbidzai said in an interview from his new base Friday.
“The coaches say I need to work on my strength and conditioning because Danish football is a bit physical. So, over the next few weeks there will be a lot of gym work and healthy eating.
“I have been given a football programme that dictates what I eat, what time I eat it, what time I exercise and the exercises to do as well.
“I guess that will be the lifestyle really; professional football is all about paying attention to detail and doing everything right. I am excited by this new challenge and look forward to making the most of it.”
Acclimatising at Hobro IK is being made easier by the presence of fellow Zimbabwean Quincy Antipas, the former Motor Action man who has just renewed his contract with the club.
However, there is very little Antipas can do about the weather and food.
Pfumbidzai has to figure that out on his own.
“Having a fellow Zimbabwean at the club is a plus. Quincy is trying hard to help me settle, but as you know it takes some time to get used to it all.
“For starters, the weather is different and the food, too, but then again this is going to be my home and the sooner I get used to it the better,” said the Warriors left-back.
Pfumbidzai’s European break comes at a time when the defender has made some steady progress towards a level head.
For much of his stay at Caps United, the former Young Warriors skipper was viewed as a hot head, a lad who could snap in a second.
His relationship with the vegetable-waving Makepekepe faithful was topsy turvy at best.
They viewed him as childish.
He thought they were just overzealous fans who “do not appreciate what it means to work for free.”
It was nasty.
However, amid the ups and downs some people whispered some life changing words into Pfumbidzai’s ear.
One of them is Kallisto Pasuwa.
Pasuwa had heard and read about Pfumbidzayi and just a few minutes with the boy in the Young Warriors camp made him conclude sorting out the head was the first port of call to getting the best out of a promising lad with a wicked left foot.
“When I first called him into the Young Warriors camp I told him discipline would make him a better player,” Pasuwa revealed.
“He felt people misunderstood him, but my message was clear . . . ‘let your football do the talking and watch how far you will go.’
“Being in Europe will certainly make him a better player and that will also benefit us as a nation.”
The start of the 2015 season saw a different Pfumbidzai stepping out.
For months, he pushed for an exit from the then financially troubled Caps United, but had a change of heart and pledged his allegiance long before Zing came and went.
His football began to do the talking and Kaizer Chiefs decided to run the ruler on him.
The trial at Amakhosi yielded very little, save for a few picture moments at Nautrena, the Kaizer Chiefs village, and a couple of Nike sweaters.
Failing to impress Stuart Baxter turned out to be a blessing in disguise, with Hobro IK coming in and deciding on snapping the player on a year’s contract after just three days of watching him at close range.
