The ManicaPost
. . . . Katsande on style of play
. . . . Bags Peter Ndlovu award
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
PLAYING a combative defensive midfield role for a period spanning close to two decades, not only as a regular senior national team player, but captaining the squad, Willard Katsande has amassed a staggering 64 yellow cards and one red card.
With those statistics, the former Highway FC and Gunners player who retired from international football and clocked 300 appearances for South African giants, Kaizer Chiefs recently, insists that he is not a dirty player.
Some netizens have been on the overdrive saying Katsande thrives on injuring opponents.
Katsande is projected as one of the players with the highest number of red cards in the history of African football.
But tough tackling as he is, Katsande said he has only picked one red card in his career, although he was cautioned 64 times.
“I have been doing some reconciliation on my statistics and the truth is that I have received 64 yellow cards. I have only been red-carded once in my whole professional football career.
“Yes, people may say what they want. I cannot stop them, but I really do not consider myself to be a rough player. I have to be combative in my approach given the position I play, but I do not consider myself a dirty player at all,” he said.
Katsande says he has never injured any opponent.
“Truth be told, I have never injured anyone in my whole career. There was an incident which happened while I was still playing for Gunners in Harare, where people thought I had injured an opponent, but I vividly remember that he stepped on the ball and slipped, thereby injuring himself under my challenge. So like I said, the court of public opinion will have its say which might not necessarily be true,” said Katsande.
To add on to his medals in a lofty football career that is marked by humble beginnings, Katsande recently received the Peter Ndlovu South Africa Based Footballer of the Year Award.
“I am really humbled by this award. It is quite an achievement for me. An award to me goes beyond money. This is something I can show my children and grandchildren. It even lives after me. I am happy that l got this award,” said the former CPMZ player.
In winning the Peter Ndlovu SA Based Footballer of the Year Award, Katsande outshone competitors Elvis Chipezeze, Edmore Sibanda, Knox Mutizwa and Kudakwashe Mahachi who were all nominees in the same category.
Katsande has seen it all in the South African top-flight league and at his peak in 2014, he opted out of the Warriors squad to make it to the awards where he had been tipped to take the top gong.
The then Bidvest Wits’ ‘Salt & Vinegar’ pocketed R230 000 in prize-money after taking home most of the awards presented on the night, including the Player and Players’ Player of the Year honours.
The gritty defensive midfielder who has made headlines in recent times owing to his fashion sense as well as attention seeking social media stunts is on record saying he wants to play until the age of 40.
“I think I can go all the way. I want to play at the highest level on the continent until I am 40. I feel I can achieve that. I have always taken good care of my health and diet, therefore I do not see anything stopping me,” Katsande recently told Post Sport.
At 34 and on the books of one of the best teams in a coveted league on the continent, probably now guaranteed two more seasons, it appears like Katsande is well on course to achieving that feat.
