Herentals back from Kariba camp

Tadious Manyepo

Zimpapers Sports Hub

HERENTALS coach Paul Benza says the realisation by the players that the Students are a family team that binds them together is giving them the fuel to grind more.

Benza and his men returned from a pre-season camp in Kariba yesterday, which he described as valuable ahead of the start of the 2025 Premier Soccer League season.

“We are happy to be back from a two-week training camp in Kariba. I am happy everyone is in good health and in high spirits.

“We never had any problems on and off the pitch, as the realisation by the players that we are a family team also makes them family. The unity in the team is always incredible,” said Benza.

“We have no injuries, no problem whatsoever, and that’s a huge positive if you realise that we were only coming from the festive holidays.”

Benza said they were concentrating on the physical and mental fitness aspects mostly. “Off-season is normally for fitness. This is what we mostly zeroed in on when we were in Kariba. We tried to load the players physically while also significantly carrying out mental fitness programs.

“Mental fitness is the hub of football. It helps players retain concentration and is augmented by physical fitness,” he added.

“Of course we did some ball work, even playing a training match with a local team and winning, but the gist was on attaining physical fitness.

“I am very happy we have seen tremendous improvement in the manner with which the boys are carrying themselves.

“I would like to thank the club led by president Innocent Benza for affording us a chance to do this valuable retreat.

“The players are very happy, and you can tell they are now more united than they were before we went to Kariba. I am very happy as a coach to be afforded such retreats during the off-season.

“We can build from there and get to see the benefits as the season starts.”

Benza took over from Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva last season and managed to lead Herentals to fifth place, their best finish since their promotion into the top-flight in 2018.

The Students were also the best team in Harare, besting CAPS United, Dynamos, and Yadah Stars.

And Benza said he wants to better that feat this year.

“It’s all about doing better than what we did previously. I have already said that we are a family team and that realization drives us always.

“That is the spirit that has carried us since 2018 when we joined the elite class. It is the same spirit that we build every campaign on,” he said.

“We have a couple of new players, like Lot Chiwunga, Tawanda Chisi, and Ralph Kawondera, in the team, but they haven’t found it difficult to fit in.

“Our system allows anyone to easily fit in and play their normal game. We are looking to finish in a better position than last year. If we are able to win the championship, well, we will be happy. But we are looking at finishing in the top-four this year.”

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