Granvia a ‘true Mantengwane’

24 Apr, 2016 - 00:04 0 Views
Granvia a ‘true Mantengwane’ Gabriel Nyoni

The Sunday News

Gabriel Nyoni

Gabriel Nyoni

Plaxedes Sibanda
WHEN it comes to football, there are top goal scorers, the fastest players, and then there is Granvia, who has all these attributes.

The media has dubbed him a “speed merchant”, for being the fastest player in the league. In Highlanders Football Club, he scored the fastest goal, in two seconds, in the 2013 Mbada tournament. He also became the top goal scorer in the same tournament.

Born Gabriel Nyoni in Gutu Maternity Hospital, on the ninth day and month of 1992, he was nicknamed Granvia by his Highlanders colleagues, after the Toyota Granvia cars operating along the Bulawayo-Gwanda Road, which were once popular for being speedy.

When his fans watch him running with the ball during training sessions at Barbourfields Stadium, they wish he would never pass the ball to his colleagues.

“This boy is a true bird,” said Bheki Sithole, one of his fans, referring to the English translation of Granvia’s surname.

“He is a true Mantengwane.”

Mantengwane is one of the nicknames for Highlanders Football Club and refers to a bird.

“When I go to Highlanders’ matches, I will be looking forward to being stunned by Gabriel’s speed,” said Senzo Dube, who spoke to this reporter while watching the club train at Barbourfields on a rainy afternoon. “The boy is always in form and I have not been disappointed by him.”

Granvia developed a love for soccer at a young age.

“I started playing football when I was in Grade 3 in Vurombo Primary School, using a plastic ball,” recalled Granvia, adding that he did not like the big, store-bought soccer ball.

Leaving school at 1400 hours and arriving home three hours later, after playing with his small plastic ball, earned him painful lashes.

“My father used to beat me every day for coming home late,” Granvia said.

He added: “When I was in Form One, as dad was beating me, I told him that he could beat me for 30 minutes, but I played the whole day. From then, he stopped beating me up for coming home late after realising that I liked playing soccer.”

His football talent earned him an education.

He was awarded a soccer scholarship by Pamushana High Sports Academy when he was doing his Advanced Level studies at Mucheke Secondary School.

“When I moved to Pamushana, I dropped sciences for commercials because I could not balance sciences and soccer,” recalled Granvia.

In 2012, he enrolled at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) to pursue a degree in marketing.

He chose the field strategically.

“I attained 13 points in A-level, I chose marketing because I knew that I would be creating my own brand,” Granvia said. “Many celebrities are used for marketing, but as for me, I will be a brand and an academic.”

That same year, he started training with Highlanders.

“I packed my bag and told myself that I am going to train with Highlanders,” he recalled.

He was determined to join the club, even though he was vilified by some of the players.

“When I arrived at Highlanders for the first time, one of the players told me that I would not do anything in that team,” Granvia said.

His friends also denied him support.

“I missed my lectures to train with Highlanders,” the footballer, now in his final semester at NUST, remembered. “I spent two weeks running without kicking the ball, and my friends were saying I was wasting time because I was coming back home tired and failing to do any school work. I told my friends that my chance would come and they should not worry.”

Highlanders officially signed him in 2013 and he was loaned to Bulawayo Chiefs for the first five months.

Granvia scored his first goal in Highlanders during a friendly match with Monomotapa Football Club. He celebrated by removing his shorts and waving them in the air as he raced towards the corner flag. He says the move was one of his marketing tools.

“I was the first player to celebrate that way. I marketed myself in football, and that’s why I am doing a degree in marketing,” said Granvia.

On the Highlanders FC Facebook page, Granvia was quoted describing the moment of celebration as, “like a first kiss from a woman” where someone would “be overwhelmed with excitement.”

The striker, who wears jersey number 27, also scored the fastest goal within two minutes for the Mbada Diamonds tournament in 2013, when his club was playing against Triangle Football Club.

Granvia, a Christian who has written more than 50 Bible commentaries, also became the top goal scorer of the tournament in the same year. He recalled these moments from 2013 with a smile stretching from ear to ear.

However, he admitted that he would disappoint his football fans as soon as he got rich.

“Football is tiresome and there is no life in it,” lamented Granvia, adding that football training was intense and painful.

He said: “It’s not a life. I cannot run until I’m 32. I really want my money. I want to do a big business deal and retire as soon as I get money. I have passion in it but it’s painful. I have followed this passion for more than 15 years. I want to own my business and play with my family.”

Granvia’s love for speed doesn’t end on the soccer field.

“I’m looking forward to buying a BMW 318i before the end of 2016,” he said. “I love its take-off and its speed.”

Pursuing a sports degree, becoming the youngest coach with a Uefa A licence, and becoming the next Strive Masiyiwa, if not Steve Jobs, are some of his aspirations.

Speedy Granvia, whose Highlanders contract expires at the end of the year, hinted about South African teams interested in his talent. However, he would not disclose their names.

“The best thing that can happen to my football career this year is playing for the national team,” said the striker, who has played for the Under-19 and Under-23 national squad.

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