SOCCER: ‘It’s not a Hard Life’: Zvirekwi

HARDLIFE ZVIREKWI insists the tumultuous period his career has experienced over the past few months has made him stronger.

The Caps United utility man adds that his loyalty to Caps United should never be doubted.

The 27-year-old has had his own fair share of negative newspaper headlines, courting controversy and fast becoming the “bad boy” at Makepekepe.

A fortnight ago, moments after Caps United’s heartbreaking 1-2 loss to bitter rivals Dynamos, Zvirekwi was spotted at an Alick Macheso gig “partying”.

That did not go down well with the Makepekepe faithful, who questioned his commitment to the team’s cause amid reports that have linked him with a move away from the Green Machine. Highlanders, Dynamos and FC Platinum were touted as possible destinations.

In April, the utility man was accused of pouring urine on the Buffaloes technical bench during a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at Gwanzura. A few weeks later, he boycotted Caps United’s 0-3 drubbing at Chapungu over unpaid bonuses. The controversies have naturally drawn the ire of a large section of Makepekepe fans.

Zvirekwi insists he has learnt his lessons.

“All this has made me stronger, now I appreciate the bigger picture. No player is bigger than the football club, I have realised that now,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want to dwell much on the past because the future is where we are going as Caps United.

“We have a task at hand and that is to bring happiness back among the club’s supporters who have been tormented by our continuous failure to win silverware.

“Sometimes in football it is not all about money, but pride and tradition. It is good that coach Tau (Mangwiro) has succeeded in instilling a formidable fighting spirit among us and I see Caps United causing problems this season.”

The pint-sized Warriors international gets disturbed by suggestions that Caps United players lack the guts and commitment required to stand up to DeMbare.

“It is all about opinions, maybe that is what people see in us and we should take it as constructive criticism. We have a lot to learn in this game and I have taken the sentiments of some of the club’s legends as a wake-up call because they have seen it all. You know something, we are always telling each other as players how much we have tormented our supporters by continuously losing to Dynamos.

“That 1-2 defeat to our ultimate enemies was heartbreaking; sometimes you feel you need to refresh yourself, get it off your head as fast as possible and your choice of refreshing might not go down well in some quarters,” said Zvirekwi in reference to the Macheso-gig fiasco.

He continues: “Hardy is not a controversial player; he is just a simple guy who wants to live a simple life while making noise on the field of play. I am happily married to my lovely wife Sarudzai; we are blessed with a son, David. Everything is fine at home . . . some of these things come and pass.”

A lot has happened in Zvirekwi’s life in the past year, with the “Nairobi debacle” quickly coming to mind.

In June 2013, the player hogged the headlines when he got stranded at Nairobi International Airport after misplacing his passport as the Warriors headed for Guinea.

A league champion with Gunners in 2009, Zvirekwi feels the fighting spirit brought by Mangwiro could see Caps United staying in the championship equation as the league heads towards the business end.

“I think we will be up there, come the end of the season. It takes players with strong character to soldier on even when there is no money and at Caps United we have those players.

What is driving us is the desire to repay our fans, they need to smile one day and I promise we will try by all means to regain our Cup Kings tag starting with the upcoming Chibuku Super Cup,” he said.

Despite being one of the country’s most consistent players, a foreign move continues to elude Zvirekwi even after a commendable show at the CHAN 2014 finals in January. Is he getting unsettled?

“I am not worried at all; opportunities come at different stages in a football career. I just pray those that are getting their chances now utilise them well because when my time comes I will make full use,” he said.

This season, Zvirekwi is being deployed in midfield as Mangwiro tries to accommodate both him and skipper Tapuwa Khumbuyani in the starting XI.

It’s a move that appears to be bringing the best out of both men, who ordinarily would be competing for the right back position.

“As a player I am ready to play wherever the coach deploys me, but I must say being thrust into midfield has been exciting.

“Hopefully, the team’s combinations continue to get better during the second half of the season . . . we need to win something for our fans,” he said.