The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere, Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe Saints, Amazulu and Warriors midfielder, Esrom Nyandoro, has opened upon on his desire to play for Highlanders when he was still turning out for the gold and black-shirted Usuthu just after the turn of the new millennium.
In a recent interview with Television Sport Media in South Africa, where he had travelled from Tshwane to Polokwane to watch a training match between Bosso and Mzansi’s Baroka FC, Nyandoro said:
“It was unfortunate that I never had a chance to play for Highlanders. I must say I was a number one Bosso fan while I was still an AmaZulu player.”
He said his dream to play for the Bulawayo football giants fizzled out as his then boss at AmaZulu, Delma Lupepe, would do anything to keep him at the then flamboyant 2003 Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League champions.
“I remember Bosso wanted to sign me when they were going for a Caf competition but my former boss Delma Lupepe said he would rather pay me every cent so that I could stay. Those are the days we cherish,” said the ex-Mamelodi Sundowns captain who gave so much praise to Lupepe.
“To me, Lupepe is a father figure who helped us a lot. He was a great advisor,” said Nyandoro.
The former Zimbabwe Warriors defensive midfielder is reportedly mulling his future after recently parting ways with South African Premiership side Mamelodi Sundowns where he spent 11 years. He went on to wish Bosso well in the forthcoming 2017 season.
“I want to wish Highlanders all the best. Obviously we expect a lot of cups. This is one of the big clubs from my home town Bulawayo,” he said.
Nyandoro, after the expiry of his contract as a player at Sundowns last year spent five months as team manager of the MultiChoice Diski side which is the reserve team at Masandawana. Nyandoro, born and bred in Bulawayo, learnt at Mzilikazi High School. He was identified by soccer scouts while playing in the Peter Ndlovu invitational Under 19 tournament, for Zimbabwe Saints juniors, which was used to identify and promote talent. As a result of this he signed with AmaZulu, rising through the reserve ranks to being a member of the league championship winning squad.
Nyandoro was then signed by Sundowns in 2004 and was named the Absa Premier Soccer League Rookie of The Year after his debut season.
In the summer of 2006, Nyandoro joined up with English Premier League club Sheffield United for a trial. This was on the recommendation of legendary Ndlovu who had played for the club.
Nyandoro was however, not signed. “Yellowman” was a member of the Zimbabwe 2004 Africa Cup of Nations team, who finished bottom of their group in the first round of competition, thus failing to secure qualification for the quarter-finals. He scored a superb goal that was voted as the best goal of the tournament.
He also participated at the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations.
@FungaiMuderere
