Tawanda Maswanhise dreaming about European campaign with Motherwell
Tawanda Maswanhise has his sights set on playing European football with Motherwell after receiving further recognition for his impressive season.
The Zimbabwe international joins team-mate Elijah Just on the shortlist for the PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year award along with Hearts strikers Lawrence Shankland and Claudio Braga.
The 23-year-old has scored 22 goals for Motherwell this season and is the William Hill Premiership’s top scorer, despite starting most games on the right wing.
After netting a spectacular goal against South Africa in the Africa Cup of Nations, Maswanhise was in demand in January but he was happy to stay at Motherwell for the rest of the season – and possibly beyond.
Motherwell moved six points clear of Hibernian with a 3-2 win over Rangers on Sunday as they chase a top-four place that will guarantee European football.
When it was put to him that it could be this team’s final four games together, Maswanhise said: “I hope not because this is an excellent team. I wish there were more games for me to play. Even though I played the majority of the season, I want to play loads.
“I just want to play every Saturday. I just want to play football and enjoy football.
“I’ve said I want to play European football and hopefully Motherwell are going to be in a European position next season. Hopefully, it’s a good European journey.
“If it’s European football, it’s European football. That’s the next step in my football journey.”
Like many of his team-mates, the former Leicester player’s career has been given a major lift by manager Jens Berthel Askou.
“Me and the manager have got a good connection,” he said. “I would always go to his office and ask him what I can do better in certain situations.
“He would be brutally honest, but in a good way because we’ve got that connection.
“I just told him I’m that type of player where I need a manager like that or I need a bit of a kick up the backside to get myself going.
“We had a few conversations before the season and he put his trust in me, showed me what he wants me to do for the season. I’ve just implemented it really well.
“I don’t think people realise what I do off the ball, those unselfish runs, making space for other team-mates of mine to get on the ball and show the creative side of the game.”
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