Tawanda Chirewa hopes producing the good for Zimbabwe at this winter’s Africa Cup of Nations will continue his quest to become a national hero.
During the past 18 months, the Wolves forward has become a key figure for the Warriors, scoring three times in 11 international matches, and the academy graduate has now headed off to represent Zimbabwe at the first major tournament of his career – although he has travelled without his national team captain and club teammate Marshall Munetsi after the midfielder was ruled out of the competition through injury.
Despite growing up in Chelmsford, Chirewa’s upbringing has been 100 per cent Zimbabwean, and the 22-year-old cannot wait to have the opportunity to make his family proud by firing his country to AFCON glory.
On growing up as a Zimbabwean in England
“I grew up in quite an African household. My parents are both from Zimbabwe, and my sisters were born there. I’m the only one of my family not born in Zimbabwe. Obviously, I was born here in England, but that’s not what my upbringing was like because my household was Zimbabwean.
“I would eat Zimbabwean food, I speak the language, my mum used to speak the language to my dad – that’s all I’ve known, so when the time came, at maybe 16, my agent was speaking about whether we should try and keep pushing to get into the England youth set up, or we can go and play for Zimbabwe, and I knew straight away, because that’s what my dad and my mom, my late granddad on my dad’s side would have wanted.
“My grandad loved football as well, and I just wanted to try and represent my name. My name is Zimbabwean, it’s not English, so that’s where I feel like I belong.”
On a love for Zimbabwean culture
“There are a few things. The food, obviously. I feel like everyone’s tried sadza. Sadza with oxtail is very nice and just the whole cultures and the vibe, like having barbecues every weekend.
“It could be cold, it could be raining, but the braai’s on, the barbecue’s on, and there’ll be some meat on there, the music’s on, and that’s the Zimbabwean vibe.
“I’m always listening to Zimbabwean music at home, even now living here, my neighbours probably don’t like me because I’m always playing music and listening to something on the piano, or whether it’s Zim dance, there’s always something playing. But that’s just how I’ve always grown up and that’s just me.”
On learning from Munetsi
“Marshall is just a great guy. I remember when he was first supposed to come here, and Wolves had asked me about him, and I just told them what kind of guy he’s like and to just bring him in.
“We all saw when he came in how much the level of the team improved, and we stayed up last year. But with me especially, he guides me every day, tells me to keep pushing, keep working hard and keep staying positive.
“Because the main thing I see from him is the positivity, the work rate, which I feel is something he has put onto me, to work hard every day and never let things outside of football, or how football’s going, affect your daily work, because the only way you can change your situation is by working hard. He’s definitely helped me with that.”
On going to AFCON without the captain
“We talk about AFCON a lot. He’s given me little insights on how it will be, but I’m buzzing for it. I believe that we’re going to shock a lot of countries and shock a lot of people with how we’re going to do, so I’m just trying to get myself as ready as I can.
“I know that this tournament is my first major tournament that I will have played in, so I just want to show the world how good Zimbabwe is.”
On Zimbabwe’s chances
“Playing for Zimbabwe was a big achievement for me. It’s something I hold really dear to my heart. Some people have said the way I play for them is a different kind of level, which I don’t really agree with, but maybe it’s because it’s a lot more personal to me.
“I know that this is something which is important for my family’s name and I want to be a great player for Zimbabwe, I want to be a legend for Zimbabwe, and this is something which I’m eager to do, and something which I really believe I can do.
“AFCON is a big step in that, and if I can help us to go as far into the tournament as I can, I know that I’ll be one step closer to achieving what I want to achieve for my country.”
On hopes of leading his country to glory
“I haven’t really dreamed that far ahead. That’s a long way ahead. That’s at the end of January. All I’m thinking about is that first game against Egypt, trying to visualise that.
“With Egypt, I’ve seen me scoring, I’ve seen us winning, and us going through the group stage. It’s exciting times ahead, and I just can’t wait to get things rolling.”
