Years back, Dynamos coach Lloyd "Mablanyo" Chigowe had a chance to coach Marshall Munetsi in the men's Under 17 national team.

"I got to know Munetsi when I was coach for Zimbabwe under 17, we got him from Ali Sundowns in Mabvuku.

"By then he was just a defender, playing as a centre back," Mablanyo recalled in an interview.

Having been impressed by Munetsi in national team colours, Mablanyo then signed him at Blue Rangers, a division one side he was leading back then.

"When I formed Blue Rangers as head coach, I then signed him (Munetsi).

"I saw a lot of potential in the boy when he was in the national team because he had a big frame.

"By then he was 17 and I took him to a Division One, played him week in, week out.

"Because he was still fragile, I had to push him into the midfield, a role he occupies today, that is box-to-box play.

"So when the Blue Rangers project folded, I recommended him to Friendly Academy," Mablanyo added.

As fate would have it, Munetsi was part of the Friendly Academy team that went for a tour to South Africa where he was spotted by FC Cape Town, a lower division club that eventually signed him in 2015.

Destined for greatness, Munetsi in 2016 was signed by South African giants Orlando Pirates.

At the Buccaneers, the 28-year-old utility player spent three seasons before he was eventually sold to French Ligue 1 side Stade Reims in 2019.

At Reims the Warriors vice captain spent four seasons, making more than 300 appearances before he was snatched in January by English Premier Soccer League side Wolverhampton Wanderers in a S$ 20 million deal.