Spare a thought for the greats

04 Dec, 2016 - 00:12 0 Views
Spare a thought  for the greats Enerst Maphepha Sibanda

The Sunday News

Enerst Maphepha Sibanda

Enerst Maphepha Sibanda

“TABLE 15 Class of 1954-63,” is how I would have had it on December 9, 2016 at the Highlanders Football Club awards night.

While the event is meant to honour players that were outstanding in 2016 and end the 90th Anniversary Celebrations on a high note, the event would be incomplete without the gallant sons who risked life and limb for the great club from 1926.

Players and legends walked the rocky path with Highlanders FC to this date when the brand is well known home and away.

The evening would be a perfect opportunity for the old and young to meet and share experiences.

It would not be an evening for the players only to share experiences about the great club but administrators. There are some whose DNA from birth is Bosso and others who got onto the band wagon for self-aggrandisement who would learn a lot from some men who never went out with a single cent from Bosso but did so much for what it is today, a multi-million followed entity whose successes and low moments are felt in all the continents.

Club events have turned to be low key because of the financial implications where a seat is sold. Not everyone who deserves to be at the party can afford the $40 seat.

There are those who the club executive and board must honour, men and women who made all the difference when the club was really struggling.

Not many in the executive would know the Zwambila, Mangena, Khumalo, Mhlanga, Sibanda, Mkhwananzi, Mthimkhulu and Ngwanes and what they did for Highlanders. They are Mafikizolos whose knowledge of the club and its history is limited to 1998 to this date and because they do not appreciate the sacrifices of great men before them, they are turning Bosso into a boys’ club where only those that subscribe to their ways should have a part to play instead of “US”.

Notable is a number of the club’s players, coaches and administrators have earned national stripes.

Players now run into dozens while administrators that come to mind include present Zifa vice president Omega Sibanda, suspended PSL boss Peter Dube, former Zifa vice chairpersons Cecilia Malunga, Roger Muhlwa, Wyatt Mpofu and Ndumiso Gumede and PSL chief executive Kennedy Ndebele whose stewardship of the body saw a smooth conclusion of the 2016 league championship.

Highlanders belongs to everyone hence the need for inclusivity in all activities about the club. No single individual is bigger than the other and yet a brick by all can build it into an even bigger institution.

My heart goes out to those who risked breaking their legs, those who travelled by lorries to as far as Mhangura, Mutare and Hwange.

My heart pours out to those men who camped at Matopo Hills, those players who slept under the Lukosi and Deka Rivers oblivious of the danger from lions, hyenas, buffaloes and elephants, not to mention mosquitoes.

With the sweltering heat and sweat, the mosquito bites overnight at Hwange, presented a hell situation during a match presenting the most unpleasant afternoon than facing Chutika Tembo, Daniel Rendo, John Nkonde, Mwape Sakala, Stephen Chuma and Amos Rendo.

Cecilia Moyo, Lungile Moyo and Lennox Mhlanga know what it was like when Bosso came to camp at their homes. At times they had to sleep away from home at relatives or neighbours for the sake of Bosso where those who look at as an opportunity to make a name and money have been seen in recent decades.

It was selflessness by all from supporters, players and administrators.

The Awards Night should be a day when generations of players are paraded and celebrated. A night to cheer and use players like Zenzo Moyo a former Soccer Star of the Year and top goalscorer, Rahman Gumbo a former top goalscorer, national team striker and coach to inspire lads who have become overnight celebrities without any football success to show.

It would be great for Highlanders to go to people like Edward Magungubala Dlamini and Edward Dzowa who were part of the club in 1963 to track down their former teammates. They are part of the club’s history and this is an opportunity for archivers to set the record straight about the club’s past.

More often in local sport there is no predecessor value. There are no hand over-takeovers being done any more because the incumbents and their predecessors are sponsored by rival camps all out for some piece of cake in the institution yet it is all about volunteerism and no jobs for the boys and buddies.

There are so many good people out there who could volunteer their time and resources but football has all of a sudden turned a land mine to dangerous to tread on. You venture into it, you are left tainted for life right or wrong.

Dlamini and Dzowa well into their 70s and Randen whose association with the club started in 1928 and lasted six years, have a great story to tell about Bosso. While the English will talk about Jack and Bobby Charlton, The Brazilians Jarzinho and Pele, South Africans, Kalamazoo their first Black export to the world, these men know who the best Bosso players were and where they are.

As football got better structured and administered, the likes of Paul Tsumbe, Lawrence Phiri, Chris Bha, Jeffrey Mpofu, Silas Ndlovu, Billy Sibanda and Barry Daka’s association with Highlanders started in the 1960s. A table for such legends would be ideal.

I can imagine Peter Muduwa saying to Tendai Ndlovu: “I have had about these great players in the streets, let me go and greet them and get a tip or one on how they managed to scale zenith heights.”

Another table could have the brigade that joined Bosso when they were promoted to the First Division, the players who were part of Highlanders in 1971 when Iteam Yezwelonke finished with just seven points and was relegated. Players who were to become the foundation of the 1973 Chibuku Cup conquest, the first national league tournament triumph by Highlanders, an event still spoken of as if it was yesterday.

These include Ben Staddon.

Then the Great Side of the 1970s robbed off the title in the boardroom by the Rhodesia National Football League, would have a table with Daka, Billy Sibanda, Bruce Grobbelaar, Chutika Tembo, Stanley Nyika, Isaac Mafaro, Ananias Dube with the departed ones represented by their wives.

The South Zone days an exciting excursion as the club stayed on self-imposed exile from national football, had its own heroes.

Some of the guys may meet for the first time in almost 30 years, they have a story too to tell.

The winners of the first two pieces of silverware in independent Zimbabwe – the Chibuku Trophy, 4-0 over Rio Tinto and Heroes Plate 3-2 over Dynamos are still there. Mark Watson the hattrick hero, Ndumiso Gumede the chairman at the time would with ease get their mates and fill a table.

Madinda Ndlovu, Peter Nkomo, Sydney Zimunya, Dumisani Nyoni, Richard Ndlovu, Abraham Madondo, Tobias Mudyambanje, Alexander Maseko, Tito Paketh, Thoko Sithole and Amin Soma-Phiri heroes of the 1980s would probably be sitted next to the first league and cup double heroes of 1990 headlined by Peter Ndlovu one of three former Highlanders players to play in the elite English Premiership with the other two Grobbelaar and Benjani Mwaruwari.

Gift Lunga, Wayne Albertyn, Johannes Tshuma, Lovemore Ncube, Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Sikhumbuzo Ndebele would also have theirs and then the next would be Thulani Ncube, Noel Kaseke, Dazzy Kapenya, Thabani Masawi, Siza Khoza, Richard Choruma, Charles Chilufya, Joe Kabemba, Simon Sibanda, Eddie Nyika, Eddie Dube, Britto Gwere, Tapuwa Kapini, Melody Wafawanaka, Gift Lunga (Senior), Alexander Phiri and Malvern Matsilele.

Cuthbert Malajila, Stephen Alimenda, Honour Gombami, Gilbert Banda, Vusa Nyoni and Anzilom Ndlovu the 2006 league champions would have their table and then the next two tables would be the two teams from that time which includes the present crop.

Ideally administrators too Nhlanhla Dube, Kennedy Ndebele, Liqhwa Gama and Isaac Mlilo with their team which won three consecutive league championships, Roger Muhlwa and Peter Dube in the expanded table as they were there for the first of the four in 1999.

Gumede, Josiah Nxumalo who is also among the players 1972-1980 and Enock Mangena would be there with the likes of Ernest Maphepha Sibanda one of their biggest catches with Mark Watson in 1980.

Sibanda a success story as a player, manager and chairman would just like Gumede among club heroes, Lawrence Phiri, Daka qualify for many tables.

It is about time coaches, players and administrators were honoured by their respective clubs.

Awards given to players in honour of their dear departed would be a good tribute.

The Tutani Moyo Award for the Most Exciting Player, the Jonathan Themba Mhlanga Award for the longest serving player, the Bruce Grobbelaar gong for the best goalkeeper at the club, the Adam Ndlovu for top goalscorer, the Tymon Mabaleka or Madinda Ndlovu for Players’ Player of the Year.

Even fans one can get the Dakamela Award for Supporter of the Year in honour of the fan who would lead the club’s entry by somersaulting at Barbourfields Stadium and others.

It is the responsibility of media and those in charge of football to truly spare a thought for the Wall of Fame concept.

 

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