WARRIORS midfielder Marshall Munetsi’s career progress has “shocked” a lot of people who were not expecting him to move to the French Ligue 1, regarded as one of the top five leagues in the world. BY HENRY MHARA The 24-year-old signed a four-year deal with Stade Reims in June 2019 after spending three seasons with South African giants Orlando Pirates. He featured 21 times for the French league side in his debut season to earn himself a further one-year on his contract which will now expire in 2024. Speaking to a South African publication this week, Munetsi said most people were not expecting him to move to Europe, let alone joining one of the top five leagues in the world, as he was not getting regular game time at his last club in South Africa. “When I came here, it shocked a lot of people because of the way things had gone at Orlando Pirates. I did play some part of the season, but because of some reasons, I did not get much game time,” Munetsi said. The central midfielder started his career at Ali Sundowns Academy in Mabvuku in Harare before moving to Friendly Academy and then Blue Rangers. He was snapped up by a South African First Division football side Cape Town FC in July 2015. After a season, he caught the eyes of Orlando Pirates where he signed a five-year deal and was swiftly loaned to Baroka FC. Two impressive loan seasons in Limpopo followed and he was recalled by his parent club. However, he was used as a bit-part player at the Buccaneers, making just 28 league appearances in the two years that he spent with the club. On the few occasions that he was selected to play, he would be played as a makeshift defender. Despite being played in an unfamiliar position, he didn’t sulk, but made full use of the little time he got. “I knew before I left Baroka that there were potential deals for me to come to Europe at the time and my former agent Bevan Dicks told me about those offers when I was at Baroka. So moving here, people were shocked about the progress, but then when I came here, the club knew the ability that I had from the potential from the time they started to see me at Baroka and when I was playing for the national team. Coming here, they made it clear that I would be playing as a midfielder, so when I came, it was only for me to showcase my talent,” Munetsi revealed. “Moving to Europe is something that I prayed for and it’s something that I had already seen that I can do. I remember working with a couple of coaches from Europe who said I have the attributes to make it in Europe. So when you hear people say that, you start to see something in yourself that you did not see before. When I started to play for Pirates even at Baroka. I started to get the feeling that I could go to Europe. So, it’s not something that shocked me, because of the ability that I have.” He might have received little game time at Pirates, but he remains indebted to the club for affording him the opportunity to be seen by European scouts. He said playing for the Soweto giants was the necessary springboard he needed to make it on to