TINO BENZA has taken advantage of the Premiership break to further sharpen his tools in England.
The Herentals striker is on a two-week attachment with an unnamed academy in the European country.
He joined them early last week with the brief stint scheduled to end two days before the local top-flight bounces back from the mid-season break.
Herentals will be away to Bikita Minerals at the weekend and the 22-year-old is expected to be available for that fixture.
Benza yesterday said the attachment is going well and he is picking up valuable lessons.
“I have been here for more than a week now and it’s all good. I am exposed to top-notch modern-day training methods and I believe I will be able to do exactly what I am being taught here when the league resumes,” said Benza.
“It’s very taxing but the effort is worth it. I haven’t been able to rest since I arrived here (in England) but I am enjoying everything associated with this attachment.
“Besides the modern-day training facilities and methods, I am also being exposed to dietary requirements for players.
“Look, the facility has a lot of specialist personnel to help tick all the boxes needed by professional players.
“There are coaches, there are performance analysts for each individual in the field of play. You get to know whether you are improving and in what aspect.
“There are psychologists who will always talk to you, before, during, and after training. And there are nutritionists who upon meticulously analysing your body profile recommend the type of food that fits it.
“I am very happy with what I am being taught and advised here. I hope that will help me improve my general play.”
Benza has this season been mainly deployed deeper and has provided five assists and scored once for the Students.
With the too much load in his current position, Herentals have been finding it difficult to score many goals in the opening half of the season. And coach Paul Benza has hinted that he will take Tino back to the attacking line.
“I am happy to take an position in the field. I have been enjoying the deeper role where I get more involved in play.
“At the end of the day what I love to see is Herentals winning games. I have been told that I will be reverting to be an outright attacker and I don’t have any problems with that,” added Benza.
“I just hope that will help me get more goals for the team.
“I love scoring and I believe I will have better chances to score when I take a position higher up the field.” Benza scored seven goals last season with five of those coming in the second half of the season while he also weighed in with 10 assists on his way to making it to the 2023 Soccer Star of the Year calendar.
Herentals expect to further strengthen themselves with the coming in of at least three new players this transfer window.
They will also welcome back utility Prince Chama into the fold after the lanky star recovered from a knee injury.
Chama crashed against the upright post with seven games still to be played last season at the National Sports Stadium.
He was back to the treatment table after suffering another injury on the same knee early this year and the team didn’t register him.
But he is back to full fitness and is set to be registered before the end of this month.