The Sunday News
FORMER Hwange and Hippo Valley goalkeeper Weekly Mwale was among the top three youth goalkeepers in 1981, third in the pecking order to Japhet Mparutsa and Lucky Dube.
With a height advantage over the two which meant he could cut out crosses better, he looked destined to the stars but he lacked the profile the two goalies had. Mparutsa had dislodged Frank Mkanga at Dynamos while Dube was with Eagles meaning national team selectors and the media watched more of the other two regularly.
However, a promising career came to an abrupt end in 1986 when he was banned sine die by Zifa after some of his Hwange teammates tore a referee’s uniform in protest over a goal.
Sunday Life Sports Correspondent Lovemore Dube (LD) speaks to Mwale (WM).
LD: At one stage you were the number three ranked youth goalkeeper in the country behind Japhet Mparutsa and Lucky Dube, what then happened?
WM: Japhet Mparutsa and Lucky Dube coming from the big cities and me from the sugar estates in the Lowveld, meant selectors watched the other two a lot in action. Lucky and Japhet were watched regularly. They had an advantage over me who was trying to fight and impress only when I was in Bulawayo for the games while they were seen week in and week out.
LD: As individual players did they have the talent?
MW: I had height and I was able to cut crosses. Lucky was the better one, Japhet was playing for Dynamos that gave him better leverage as his side was top of the game.
LD: Which year was that?
WM: 1980-1981. I did not travel with the national team as I was third choice but was always there for home games as Dube and Mparutsa travelled. We were among the first national teams and we played Zambia and Somalia as Under-20s and used to camp at Mount Hampden. I was in the Under-20s same time as Hwange duo of David Zulu and Machona Sibanda.
LD: Who were some of the players in the Under-20 team?
WM: Stanley Ndunduma, David Mwanza, Bennedict Moyo, Ephraim Dzimbiri, James Takavada, Thomas Sandram who we played for the same club Hippo Valley, Takesure Maverengo, Boy Ndlovu, Madinda Ndlovu, Sebastian Chikwature, Samson Phiri, John Phiri and Eagles’ Victor Moonsammy.
LD: What do you think of that crop of players?
WM: These were very talented players and most of them graduated to the senior national and rate among the greatest names in Zimbabwe. The Under-20s would beat the senior national when ever they clashed.
LD: Was leaving Hippo Valley a good move for your career?
WM: It was. Hippo Valley and Hwange were under Anglo American Corporation. When Paul Moyo left Zisco to join Hwange they had one goalkeeper Posani Sibanda. In the last game they were beaten 10-0 and were relegated. That’s when I happened to be in Bulawayo attending a goalkeepers’ seminar with Mick Poole and Moyo who was there, said he wanted me to join Hwange. The colliery side was engaged in promotional play-offs after being relegated at the end of 1982 and needed to beat Eagles 6-0 to stay in the Premiership.
Eagles needed a draw. Eagles had beaten Hwange 3-1 at Luveve and went into the last match as a team out to fulfil a fixture with little hope of even the slightest wins. We found ourselves leading 4-0 and assured that if we score two more goals we would stay in the Super League. Eagles were awarded a penalty and Boy Ndlovu took it and I saved it.
We raced to 5-0 with the late David Machibinge Phiri formerly with Kabwe scoring a brace and we beat them 6-0 and we stayed in the Super League.
LD: What was your first match in the Super League?
WM: My first match in the play-offs was against Eagles but in the Super League it was at home against Caps United.
LD: Who were the heroes of the play-offs and who were the coaches?
WM: Isaac Phiri, David Phiri and Barton Mwalukuka. I was in goal assisted by Posani, Benson Soko, Tobias Sibanda, Austin Ncube, Isaac Phiri, Skeva Phiri, Amos Rendo, Nyaro Mumba, Chrispen Nyoni, Kakoma Kayonga, Denis Gumunyu and David Khumalo. Paul Moyo, Mwape Sakala and Amos Rendo and there also was Fred Matonoka.
LD: How was it like trying to fill in the shoes of Posani Sibanda, a great goalie for both club and country?
WM: It was very difficult. Easy though to some extent when they played Caps they were beaten 10-0 the previous year. For the Super League’s first match Posani said he was not fit. I was coming to understudy Sibanda, the name Posani was a national symbol. The opportunity came by itself. He had a knee problem too so after beating Caps United 2-1 and a man-of-the- match award on the day saw me get rave reviews.
LD: Who were you up against on the afternoon at the Colliery Stadium?
WM: Joel Shambo, Stix M’tizwa, Stanley Ndunduma, Shaky Tauro, Friday Phiri, Charles Sibanda, Solomon Kaseke and Duncan Ellison made up the Caps United line up.
LD: Who scored for Hwange in that famous revenge mission?
WM: Barton Mwalukuka and Masauso Mwanza.
LD: What would you say were factors that saw you overlook teams from bigger towns to settle for Hwange?
WM: I grew up in the mines. I was born at Cam and Motor Mine near Kadoma, when Moyo invited me I saw an opportunity for me to settle at one of the best mines and urban settlements. Rugare Gumbo was Hwange personnel manager and was in good books with the Hippo Valley personnel manager. It got to be a lateral transfer between two Anglo American Corporation entities and that is how I got to be with Chipangano. Prior to being invited by Paul Moyo I had trained with Caps United but could not take up the offer because they did not offer any employment.
LD: Most Hwange players were over the hill . . .
MW: They were not considering junior development and it was difficult to survive in the Super League and we were relegated several times with aging players.
LD: Who were the senior players?
MW: Rendo, Rodrick Simwanza, Nyaro Mumba, Barton Mwalukuka, Skeva Phiri, Isaac Phiri, David Khumalo and Austin Ncube.
LD: What was the coaches’ reaction to your debut month?
WM: The whole Hwange was happy we had avenged that 10-0 defeat, I became a hero.
LD: How did you feel?
WM: I was an unknown, taking over from a great goalkeeper it was not easy to imagine I would be play so soon. People were surprised about the rookie who was me.
LD: Best match in Hwange colours?
WM: Hwange versus Ziscosteel at Torwood Stadium. Zisco had just beaten Arcadia something like 11-0 and they were now saying they would slaughter us. They were in top form but we lost 1-0. When we finished that game there was a very long queue of people who were waiting for me to come out. I was only 19 and people gave me a lot of money because of my performance. Other teammates were complaining that they wanted to leave. ‘‘Simuona muntu alikupasiwa mari’’ assistant coach Sakala James Mwape had told them to be patient.
LD: Most memorable occasion with Chipangano?
WM: Most memorable was when we beat Eagles 6-0 in the play-offs. We were preparing to play in Division One. Canaan Banana had requested that there be play-offs to accommodate Tornados when we lost to Triangle and Eagles we thought chances had been blown but winning 6-0 to stay in the elite league was something to celebrate the miracle.
LD: Best Hwange player played with?
WM: Benson Soko who could play any position and would overlap from the wing back position and score from the centre from range. He scored 33 goals in one season in Division One.
LD: Best achievement with the club?
WM: Reaching semi-finals of the Castle Cup in the 1980s and losing to Highlanders. Semi-final was moved to Barbourfields because Colliery wanted money and we lost 2-1. That was at Madinda Ndlovu’s prime.
LD: Did travelling long distances affect you as Hwange?
WM: It did, we were always on the road and during that time of political disturbances and at times we would be beaten up at roadblocks.
LD: Your childhood goalkeeping hero?
WM: Posani Sibanda of Hwange and Chibuku Shumba.
LD: Biggest influence in the game?
WM: My brother Benjamin Mwale, a goalkeeper for Cam and Motor Mine in Rio Tintio.
LD: When did you retire and why?
WM: I retired in 1987. I remember that time Moyo was introducing junior development and I was banned by Zifa after a dispute in Kadoma. We were playing Rio Tinto on a water-logged pitch. I saved a shot and the ball fell into a pool of water and a striker tried to shoot at goal and the ball did not cross the line as we fell on each other. Hwange players rushed to the referee to protest the goal decision and in the ensuing melee the referee’s uniform was torn and he gave me a red card and later Zifa banned me sine die which was lifted after Hwange’s appeal but by then Paul Moyo had made me his juniors’ coach. The scuffle caused the abandonment of the match. Zifa had said me as the Hwange goalkeeper had caused that.
LD: Who have been some of the best players to come through your hands?
WM: Mwanjali, Malvern Longwe, Witness Munkuli, Salim Milanzi, Milos Phiri, Alick Nyoni, Chenje Dube, Obert Moyo,
Jabulani Ngwenya, Richard Nyathi, Lifasi Nyathi.
LD: Coaching qualifications and successes to date in that regard?
WM: Goalkeeping coaching licence, Advanced Coaching Level (Zimbabwe), Caf C, Olympic Solidarity Coaching Certificate, Fifa Futuro and Beach Football Certificate and Fifa Junior Development Diploma.
LD: Where do you see your former team Hwange in three years and what can be done to bring glory to Chipangano?
WM: The team’s performance depends on the performance of Hwange Colliery Company. If Hwange does well the team does well too.
LD: Was Hwange Amateur Football Association (Wafa) a good idea for the sustenance of Hwange FC as a competitive side?
WM: Wafa was a good development platform for Hwange football. All what we are saying let’s have something going. Schools play football for two weeks in a year and that is not good for development of juniors in Hwange. Baobab Rovers, Hwange Under-17, Black Rock are the only teams doing junior development. This is not enough.
LD: What are you doing now?
WM: I am assisting Technosphere working with Thamsanqa Vundla in the Zifa Southern Region Division One Soccer League.
LD: Any chances of another Premiership team from Matabeleland North, why have our clubs from Hwange and Victoria Falls failed to win the promotion ticket?
WM: There is that strong will power. This year I went to Victoria Falls discussed with the likes of Philemon Bonda and Gazza Dube and they are of the view that players in Victoria Falls forces should come with one team. Amagagasi are doing well and chances of either Hwange or Victoria Falls contributing a third Matabeleland North team after Hwange and Tsholotsho look good.
LD: Are you still with the Colliery?
WM: Went on a package, now working on contracts.
LD: Where were you born? Schools attended and how did you land at Hippo Valley?
WM: Same my brother who was a goalkeeper at Cam and Motor ended up at Hippo Valley where I did my senior primary school and secondary school.
LD: Best player in Zimbabwe now . . .
WM: Khama Billiat
LD: Chances of Afcon qualification?
WM: Very bright we beat Malawi when we were on crutches now we even have a sponsor.
LD: You have done national duty as a coach what can you tell us?
WM: My story will not be complete without my national team assignments where I assisted at Under-17, 20 and 23 with my best a fourth place finish with the Under-17s in the African Championships and a bronze medal in the 1998 Under-20 Cosafa Championships. I am grateful to Hwange for affording me the opportunity to attend coaching education.
