'This guy is going to grow big'

15/02/2025 14:00

A former youth coach of Marshall Munetsi recently revealed that the Zimbabwean was 'serious' about his football growing up as he learned his trade on the football pitches in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Desmund Ali, who resides in Harare, was one of Munetsi's mentors as a young player. In an interview with the Athletic, Ali expressed that Munetsi's physical stature worked in his favour growing up and that he was often used in numerous positions during his development phase.

"Size matters in Europe and when I saw him I thought, 'This guy is going to grow big'. I didn't use any science," Ali told the Athletic, as per Molineux News.

"It was just an observation with the eye. When I saw his father and mother, I could tell that this guy was going to grow big."

"He could play as a right-back, as a centre-back, as a defensive link, as an attacking link and even as a striker. He was kind of a utility player. Covering ground was always a strength of his, even when he was playing at centre-back. He could easily join the attack without a problem. His other attribute was that he had booming shots.

"But when you then see him playing and he's commanding the midfield, he's giving instructions or directing team-mates, then you see he actually talks. He was serious about his football, going home, coming for training, going to school."