Tough balance but enjoying it – says Galloway on challenges with Plymouth and Zimbabwe

By plymouthherald.co.uk

ENGLAND: Plymouth Argyle defender Brendan Galloway has admitted it is ‘tough at times’ to balance his club career with international football for Zimbabwe but he is enjoying the different challenges of both.

Galloway is set to be part of the Pilgrims’ squad for the Championship clash with Steven Schumacher’s Stoke City at Home Park on Saturday, and he will then travel to Africa the following day. The 28-year-old has been included in the Zimbabwe squad for their first two 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games by recently-appointed German-born boss Michael Nees.

The Warriors, who are 129th in the latest FIFA World Rankings, will play away to Kenya (108) on Friday, September 6 and then host Cameroon (51) on Tuesday, September 10. Due to Kenya and Zimbabwe both not having FIFA-approved stadia, both matches are to take place in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda.

Galloway will then rejoin the Argyle squad ahead of their home Championship fixture against Sunderland on Saturday, September 14 so it promises to be a busy time for him, both in terms of football but also travelling.

Zimbabwe have another four 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this year, two in October and two in November. Galloway, who has started Argyle’s first three Championship games this season, said: “It gets tough at times. We are travelling to very far countries, adjusting to the heat and you just get no real time to switch off for a second.

“The day after Stoke, we are straight into travelling and then we come back after a long flight and it’s straight back into training because I want to recover and train well before the next game (against Sunderland).

“At times I think I have just got to look after myself almost and use my head now. I’m not young and I can’t do everything at 100 miles per hour, but I enjoy it. It’s football, it’s what I wanted to do all my life so it’s good.

“Argyle getting three points every weekend is super important to me, and then when I do go away with the national team then qualifying for a major tournament for the country is also important. You have got to be excited for both, they are both a challenge but a challenge you look forward to.”

Galloway is used to the tight turnaround between international and club fixtures. He landed back in the UK on Thursday, March 28 after playing for Zimbabwe in a friendly away to Kenya and then lined up for Argyle in their away Good Friday game against Norwich City the next day.

He said: “It’s tough at times but when you love the sport and you love what you are doing you will find the energy for it.”