Former Zimbabwe Warriors midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu has announced his retirement from professional football.
His decision comes after a prolonged battle with a persistent nose injury.
Kutinyu suffered a broken nose during the end of the 2021/22 Premier Soccer League season, requiring two surgeries.
The serious injury forced him to miss the first half of the just ended 2024 season with Chicken Inn opting not to register him.
The 31-year-old was then re-registered in the mid-season, but was unable to play many games as the nagging nose injury kept on recurring.
Kutinyu says the injury continued to cause problems, leading to severe headaches and discomfort.
This saw him consult his family as well as coaches about his decision to quit football.
“I first spoke to my family and coaches, letting them know about how I felt since they already knew my situation.
“I told them all that I had decided to call it a day, they concurred and wished me well in my future endeavours,” he said.
Kutinyu expressed his gratitude to Chicken Inn for their support during his recovery process.
It comes after the club covered all his medical expenses and provided him with necessary resources.
“I want to thank my coaches and the management of Chicken Inn. They treated me very well and stood by me through thick and thin,” he added.
“I hope they (Chicken Inn) will continue doing that to other players and I hope other clubs can follow their example and support players who are injured.”
The ex-Bantu Rovers midfielder is now in Tanzania where he has secured a position as a performance analyst at his former club, Singida Big Stars.
He recently completed a certificate in performance and data analysis from a Spanish college before applying for a job at Singida who are currently seated on position seven on the log standings.
In addition to his new career path, Kutinyu has also ventured into agriculture.
He does horticulture, cattle ranching, and poultry farming at his plot in Seke, Dema near Chitungwiza.
