Interview with Shooting Stars' Pride Tafirenyika

Factfile

Full names : Pride Tafirenyika
D.O.B :21/01/1984
Place of birth : Bindura
Position :Striker
Jersey number :5
Previous clubs : Harare United
Current club : Shooting Stars
Honors : 2007 Northern Region Division 1 soccer star of the year (Harare United)

Former Harare United player, Pride Tafirenyika, is a reliable striker the emerging league giants, Shooting Stars, take pride in. 24-year-old Tafirenyika is stunning on the field and a visit to the team’s training session reviewed a shy but friendly off-field Tafirenyika in an interview with Grace Chirumanzu.

G.C What drives you most to play football?
P.T Just the passion to play the game.
G.C Who are your football legends locally and abroad?
P.T Clemence Matawu and Christiano Ronaldo.
G.C How do you think Shooting Stars will finish this season?
P.T We will be in the top five, and I think our win against Eastern Lions should be the start of good things.
G.C When you beat Dynamos in the semi-finals of the Independence Cup in April, you went on to outwit Highlanders in the final to lift the trophy. Did you believe it would happen?
P.T Yes we could see it coming, we had trained so hard that week and we really deserved it.
G.C Which defender would you say has always given you a tough challenge each time you face his side?
P.T Onisimo Bhasera. We played together since High School at Lord Malvern and we went together to Harare United, so he is someone who knows how I play very well.
G.C Do you ever look back in your career and say you wasted your talent?
P.T There was a time I went for trials in Poland and South Africa . I did well in South Africa and Hellenics wanted me, I came back for some time to finish the league matches with Harare United but there was news that Hellenics was relegated in S.A and Doc (Regis Zenga), the owned Harare United then, said I could not go there to play in D1. I now feel that was quite an opportunity, I should have just played there and I could have got recognized.
G.C What is your most heartbreaking moment in your career as your footballer?
P.T When I broke my left hand in 2006, I had an operation vakandiisa simbi. I had to stay off the field for three months and it disturbed my progress.
G.C Tell me a funny story from camp?
P.T We do enjoy ourselves a lot, Elvis (Meleka) and Thomas Magorimbo will be playing chikudo, Esau cracking jokes and Guthrie is a musician, he will be singing and dancing.
G.C Who from your team are you closest to off the field?
P.T Elvis Meleka
G.C Tell me of your dream Pride?
P.T It is to play football in Europe .
G.C If you had the power to make rules in the CBZ PSL what rule would you do away with or implement?
P.T Eish!.. the refs have cost us. They are taking football development back with their bias.
G.C Pride is not married, how would you describe your ideal woman?
P.T Someone slim and dark in complexion.
G.C All the best in your career Pride, thanks for your time.
P.T You are welcome Grace.