CHICKEN INN are set to absorb veteran midfielder Clemence Matawu into their coaching structures after the ex-Warriors player ended his playing career. BY TERRY MADYAUTA The 38-year-old has decided to end the long and illustrious career which spans more than a decade. Matawu announced that he was done with playing on his social media handles yesterday. Thank You Lord for the blessings “Today I announce my retirement from professional football, it has been a journey filled with all emotions and memories, the journey of a lifetime,” he tweeted. “Since my return to PSL from my European endeavours in 2013, year-in-year-out I contemplated coming to this very hard decision. Would have loved to play until forever, but the robot is saying stop, I guess the playing has to change (sic). “To all the Coaches I’ve had, thank you for your time in shaping me as a footballer and person. To all my teammates good and bad memories, will definitely miss the pre-match rituals and post-match parties regardless of the result, you were like family.” An official at the club yesterday told NewsDay Sport that Matawu would not necessarily leave the club after wedding his playing career. His coach Joey Antipas with whom he had success at Motor Action wants to tap into the player's expertise and experience. He was one of the longest playing players in the PSL, where he played for Motor Action and Chicken Inn. He also played in Poland for Polonia Bytom and Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biala. However the main highlight of his career was in 2006 when voted Soccer Star of the Year. A Chicken Inn official confirmed that Matawu would be retained in the coaching structures. “He had an illustrious career. We respect him and we will miss him but we will remember him for his discipline and his astute leadership qualities,” he said. “He made us what we are. He was a good player for us. And we will do as much as we can to honour him. We are very impressed and it's left to the young players to carry own his legacy and to use what he taught them during his time here. We are not losing him altogether as he will be absorbed into the structures” Matawu graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Sport Science and Coaching last year, becoming one of the few football players who took the academic route.
