The Sunday Mail
Don Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
A call-up to the Warriors squad could not have come at a better time than the festive season for unheralded Division One side defender Pawell Govere.
It is a perfect Christmas present for the 26-year-old, who is on the books of Northern Region Division One outfit Golden Eagles.
He has been included in the enlarged Warriors squad that is preparing for the African Nations Championships (CHAN) tournament scheduled for Cameroon next month.
The squad of home-grown talent is largely dominated by Premiership players, but somehow Govere found himself in Zdravko “Loga’’ Logarusic’s side after impressing the Croat.
The defender started his career at Golden Spurs Youth Soccer Academy in Warren Park before joining Division Two side Dillo Aces in 2017. He subsequently switched to Dzivarasekwa Evangel — another Division One outfit — the following year.
Kadoma-based Cam and Motor signed him in 2019 before he moved to his current team, Golden Eagles. Despite spending most of his playing career in lower tiers of domestic football, his exploits at Golden Eagles did not escape Loga’s searching eye.
The Warriors coach believes Govere can be groomed into a key member of the national team.
“He is a young player, he looks educated; I have watched him in training. And him playing in the First Division shows that Zimbabwe has got a lot of talented players in the lower divisions. It is difficult for one to differentiate his play from some of those playing in the Premiership,” said Loga.
The gaffer gave a strong hint that he was considering Govere for his final 23-man squad, as he seeks to blend youth and experience for the tournament, which is exclusively for players in national leagues.
“He is one of the players in the 23-man squad; we couldn’t just call experienced players. We have to prepare for the next CHAN tournament in the meantime, and these are some of the tournaments that we can use to give exposure to such players.”
Govere’s moment came when he was spotted while playing in a friendly match against the Young Warriors side that was preparing for the COSAFA Under-20 Championships.
“I was a fortunate. The Golden Eagles played the Zimbabwe Under-20 team before they went to participate in the COSAFA tournament; that is when I was spotted.
“I was told that I had been called-up, but I couldn’t believe it, only until I saw the confirmation in a Press statement,” he said.
Govere, however, admits that holding down a regular place in the Warriors will not be easy.
“It feels like a huge challenge in which I have to adapt to and it is something that I have to work on as soon as possible. Well, I am a hard worker and versatile and I think my aggression, game reading, movement and passing could have earned me a place in the squad.”
He believes his selection into the Warriors squad could open doors for more players from Division One clubs.
“It is a huge opportunity because it provides exposure to different levels of football and chance to make a breakthrough in one’s career . . . but also an opportunity to pave way for other Division One players to be considered in future, which would definitely improve local football.
“Not only that, but this proves that wherever one is, in terms of the level of football, one can have a similar chance as long as the talent, desire and the will to play is there,” said Govere.
