The Sunday News
Danisa Masuku
AN encounter with football legend Barry Daka changed Garion Nyathi’s life from being a social soccer player to a professional one and later on a coach.
The encounter occurred in the dusty streets of Mzilikazi suburb when Nyathi was spotted by Daka playing street football with his peers.
He told Sunday Life Sport that he had to cut a corner and carved a life in Olympics FC, a side that was under the mentorship of Daka.
“I was just 16 years old doing Form Two at Mzilikazi Secondary School (now Mzilikazi High School) when Barry said I could be a good player and took me on board and that was the start of big things,” he says.
He goes on to say: “This was in 1976 after Highlanders broke away from the Rhodesia National Football (RNF) League after it felt it was unfairly treated by the Madzima led executive when it failed to play in a league title decider at Barbourfields Stadium that saw Dynamos being awarded all the points which saw it winning the league title,” says Nyathi, leaning back on his sofa emphasising that it was tough.
He reveals that it was difficult since the outfit had no sponsorship. In their fold they had former Highlanders players who had remained while some went down to the South Zone League.
The players who remained were Zenzo Dabengwa, Ananias Dube, Itai Chieza, Stanley Nyika and Isaac Mafaro. However, he says due to lack of motivation those senior players left and the juniors remained.
“We started rebuilding after the senior players had left in protest over lack of payment of winning bonuses and salaries since we had no sponsor,” he says.
The players who soldiered on are Felix Ntutha, Bekithemba Tapona, and Ronald Papaya, later on they were joined by players like Fortune Zengeni, Joe Banda, and Luke Bonda who were all from Eastlands.
He made his debut against Zimbabwe Saints but he says it was a difficult debut.
“I made a cut in the first team after spending several games sitting on the bench. I played as a centre back but I was a bit nervous,” he says.
He says they had a turbulent ride in the Super League, as a result at the close of the season they were almost relegated but survived at the last game. They finished the season trophy less.
His memorable game that still lingers in his mind was a clash against across town neighbours Zimbabwe Saints at the theatre of dreams Barbourfields Stadium where they won the match.
“We beat Saints 4-1 and I still have a newspaper cutting as a souvenir,” he says.
He says after the match there was chaos because Zimbabwe Saints supporters were baying for the referee’s blood. The following season the teams in the South Zone League rejoined the RNF League. But that spelt doom for the outfit as he says the RNF authorities questioned their participation in the league.
“The Super League authorities questioned our participation in the league and concluded that we were in the league illegally as a result they sent us to Division Two that’s how bad things turned out,” he says.
While they were down there in the unfashionable league a benefactor Stanley Bazaya chipped in with a sponsorship package.
“Mr Bazaya was there for us through thick and thin as he took care of our allowances and made sure that transport was available for any match that we played,” he remembers.
He says they had an easy ride in Division Two as they went for 15 games unbeaten.
Their team was quickly promoted into Division One where the going was tough and they had to gain league ticket through play offs.
Now in their second “legitimate” dance with the Super League they had players like Philemon Dangarembwa and Ben Makadzange who both later turned out for Zimbabwe Saints.
He says they fared well in the league but one match that goes down as his worst game was a clash against Zimbabwe Saints where he suffered a career threatening injury.
“I mistakenly kicked Joseph Machingura’s studs as I wanted to clear the ball due to that I sustained an injury,” he says.
Nyathi says later on they were in the safe hands of his former team mate Dangarembwa whom he holds in high esteem.
“I was a right back and Dangarembwa used to play that position as a result I learnt a lot from him as he drilled me expertly in that position and I executed myself well,” he reveals.
In 1995 he had to retire from playing soccer. Again Daka was of help as he recommended him to the scouts who wanted a coach in Botswana. He is thankful to Daka for a kind gesture.
“I am thankful to Barry Daka for having played a crucial role in my life. I’m who I’m just because of his faith in me,” he says.
In Botswana he coached a Division Two outfit — White Diamonds helping the outfit to gain promotion to Division One. He says after that he was out of contract.
“They did not renew my contract and I then got an offer at Orapa Bucks where I found them in Division Two. I helped them gain promotion to Division One and left to coach a Division One outfit Boiteti Young Fighters,” he says.
He reveals that Boiteti Young Fighters was previously in Premiership so his mandate was to help it bounce back to Premiership. But he says they missed promotion by a point after that they did not renew his contract.
His friend took him to Pilikwe village where he was tasked to form a team for him and assembled it. He says he left it when in Division Two.
He then packed his bags and went to Palapye where he coached Motlakase, a Division One side. He says: “I found them at the bottom of them log and helped to steer their ship out the relegation zone and finished the season on fourth position. For my four-year stint with the side we finished on the fourth position,” he says.
