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Fungai Muderere, [email protected]

FORMER Warriors captain Benjani Mwaruwari has landed a coaching gig at Plymouth Argyle Academy as he seeks to further sharpen his football mentoring skills.

Fondly known as the Undertaker during his playing days, the ex-Manchester City and Portsmouth striker who also had a successful playing stint in France, is a holder of Uefa A coaching licence.

The Uefa A Licence is one level below the Uefa Pro Licence and allows holders to be head coaches of youth teams up to age 18, reserve teams for top-flight clubs and men’s professional second-tier clubs.

This badge enables holders to go for the Uefa Pro Licence, which is reportedly the highest coaching certification in Europe’s football mentorship

He did his course in Ireland as he aims to take on the world of football coaching path.

The ex-Warriors gunslinger is now with Plymouth Argyle Academy.

After retiring from professional football in 2014, Mwaruwari has not been very much keen to take up coaching, but he has since emulated other legendary former footballers, like South Africa’s Benni McCarthy.

Speaking to Plymouth Argyle media, the Bulawayo bred former Zimbabwe international said: “I enrolled in players to coaches scheme, which looks after former players who are interested in coaching. So, I am here trying to improve my coaching skills. When you are playing, sometimes you do not know what you are going to do after you stop. But when you keep watching the game and you have that love and passion, you just want to be involved, so that is what happened to me.”

He added: “It has been great. I have been here for four months with people, around the coaches and players, it has been so good. I have been working with the Under-18 strikers, they have been performing so well, hopefully I will give them something and they will give me something. I have been with all age groups from the Under-13s, helping out some coaches here.”

Mwaruwari’s first coaching job was in 2022 at Mhondoro based local Premiership side Ngezi Platinum Stars.

However, it was not a fruitful stay for him as he was fired together with his then assistant Bongani Mafu, just four months into their three-year contracts.

The two coaches were subjected to increasing pressure after they failed to put on convincing performances with free spending Madamburo.

Mwaruwari and Mafu were sacked after managing just three wins in his first 13 games in charge at the club. — @FungaiMuderere.