This article is a part of a 3-part interview with Costa Nhamoinesu. The decorated centre-back talks about a lot of things, including his past career, Kerala Blasters, fans and his future.
The signing of Costa Nhamoinesu propelled into a massive exultation among the fans. The arrival of the Zimbabwean defender was all about pure exhilaration as Costa brought a baggage of experience along with him.
The 34 year old has plied his trade in the Polish and Czech top tier leagues spanning over for as much as 12 years. His tenure in Europe revolved around just 2 clubs over 12 long seasons -namely Zagłębie Lubin and Sparta Prague – and thats enough to speak leaps and bounds about the consistency and sheer grit of the man.
Noted as a club legend, Costa’s dream-like journey began when he signed for Lubin as a loanee. Life was not at all the same after young Costa grabbed quite a few eyeballs, earning him a permanent spot on the club’s teamsheet.
The Warrior went on to record around 335 cumulative appearances in his European expedition. Costa also represented his National team, Zimbabwe on numerous occasions.
IFTWC got an opportunity to interact with the talismanic defender, and here are some outtakes of the interview.
Part I – Departure of Sandesh Jhingan and the learnings he carried forward from Sparta Prague
On being asked about how is he planning to fill in the void created by the parting of Sandesh Jhingan, both on the teamsheet as well as on the fan’s front, Costa said,
“I personally don’t prefer speaking about a player because in football it is always about the team. I respect Sandesh as a player as it is quite difficult to achieve such appreciation and status at a club, which means he had to work extra hard for it. People have to understand that in football, it is not about one player but a team. So the idea here is not to try and replace a player because no player is replaceable but to build a new legacy and a strong team that will fight for top runners and the cup.”
Definitely, the genuine optimism and the growth mindset can be made out from this which defines Costa Nhamoinesu on and off the field. He further added,
“Players will come and go but the club stays. So we should fight for the club, present top quality performance with maximum effort on the pitch and try to achieve greater heights. That is the way forward and that is how we can bring progress to the club and glory for the fans. I believe this can be only achieved by building a strong bond with the team because a united team is a stronger machine.”
The Warrior emphasized on the fact that whatever happens, Kerala Blasters FC will always be of the paramount importance. Costa reiterated that as the team gets together and gels well, it might help them work unanimously towards a singular goal.
On being asked about what were his learnings from the experience at Sparta Prague and how can he capitalize on them while donning the Kerala Blasters FC’s jersey, Costa said,
“Being with Sparta Prague has taught me a lot of things: how to fight and how to stay on the top. Reaching the top and staying there are two different things that requires different approaches. You want to win something, you fight for it and if you get there, it is success. It is retaining the place on the top which requires intense and constant effort. Apart from that, I also learnt about focus and responsibility. I’ve been in the club for a long time and I’ve seen different players and coaches come and go.”
He added further a brief about his experience playing under distinct coaches,
“Every coach comes with their own strategy and tactics for which you have to maintain your focus and have a sharp mind to switch. That brings me to responsibility, every coach comes with different roles and requirements for each player, you have to learn to be responsible for what role you are being given by the coach and take responsibility of what you do on the pitch. This isn’t easy. As you grow older and stay more in the game, you start to realize how important it is to be responsible at every point and have to manage switching and adapting to any given situation.
Especially at the top level when you play with top teams, it is the small details that count. To be able to react and follow to such details, a sharp and focused mind is necessary. I hope with Kerala Blasters, we will be able to maintain the focus of what the club, as a team, wants and what is required from each one of us.”
To all the readers out there, the Costa story has just begun, stay tuned for further insights from the interview!
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