How Musona has evolved into a matured midfield maestro

When Kaizer Chiefs signed Knowledge Musona in 2009, they knew they had found a reliable solution to their goal-scoring woes.

The Zimbabwean striker was clinical that his exploits make him arguably one of the greatest strikers to grace the DStv Premiership giants, Chiefs.

As a result, he joined German outfit Hoffenheim where he did not have much success and was subsequently shipped out to Augsburg and back to Kaizer Chiefs on loan.

In 2015 he was lured to KV Oostende, then later swapped to Anderlecht in Belgium, where his game took another major nosedive.

At Anderlecht, he struggled for game time and was loaned to Lokoren and AS Eupen before he decided to move to the Middle East.

It is at Al-Tai in the Saudi Arabian elite league where his biggest transformation has occurred.

The 32-year-old has been turned into a midfield hub and has been so exceptional in that unfamiliar position.

Not only has Musona been a vital cog in the team but his impressive performances have even earned him the team’s captaincy.

The Aces Youth Academy product is undoubtedly enjoying his role behind the strikers.

He has managed to score four goals and provided three assists in the 15 games played in all competitions.

FORMER BLACK LEOPARDS COACH SPEAKS ON MUSONA’S VERSATILITY

Former Black Leopards gaffer Sunday Chidzambwa who coached Musona during his days as a Zimbabwe national team player, reckons that his versatility has helped him evolve over the years.

“He is not scared to try new positions. That bravery has helped him be what he is.

“At the national team, it would be easy to have him play from the right or left wing or be a centre-forward.

“That’s the advantage of being able to use both legs and allowing yourself to be versatile.

“Lately he has been playing more deeper than what we know him. He is more of a midfielder than a striker. 

“That level of adaptation to style and what a coach wants shows maturity and its those kind of players that last longer in the game.

“An ordinary player can’t do that,” Chidzambwa said.

Musona quit international football in May 2022 but he remains highly rated in Zimbabwe because of how he led the Warriors to three Africa Cup of Nations finals as captain.

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