Bosso’s ‘Bigger’ living the American dream

THABANI ‘Bigger’ Moyo did not stay long enough to allow his career to blossom on home turf.

But those who watched him progress from the Highlanders Football Club’s Under-14s in 1986 to the first team in 1993, believe had he stayed longer, he could have earned legendary status at Bosso.

His two years with the first team before taking up a scholarship at Kenyon College in the United States of America, were enough for him to earn a cult hero figure. Yet the 47-year-old had a very humble background, born to a hardworking Mloyi woman from Nkayi in the expansive Matabeleland North District. The end of the war in 1980 meant the lifting of a travel ban between rural Matabeleland and Bulawayo.

So Moyo found himself in a bus to town to meet up with his caring mother who worked as a maid in the city and cared for family with her meagre earnings. A proud product of Makokoba, Moyo found himself in class the very month he arrived at St Patrick’s Primary School. Arriving from Nkayi at five, Moyo had no clue about football but as time wore on and as he made friends with peers, soccer was injected into his veins. In no time he was engaging in kick-abouts with neighbours.

His talent did not glow at St Patrick’s because the school played second fiddle to the likes of Lotshe, Lobengula, Lozikeyi and Mzilikazi. As an individual out of school, Moyo had at the age of nine developed in the game that he found himself rubbing shoulders with other Mzilikazi suburb peers in the Zimbabwe Under-10s under coach Jani Gwede. That was the beginning of the great journey that would take him up to Ohio. Back then, Bulawayo had a flourishing junior football project under Zifa and another informal under the Bulawayo City Council Youth Clubs.

He played at Thabiso, Mzilikazi, Mlangeni and Mthwakazi Youth Centres as he grew up within the football age-groups in a team of friends from his Makokoba hood.

Tiny and skilful, Moyo became everyone’s choice when selecting mates to play with. He singles out Nkanyiso Xaba and Betenia Phiri for standing by him as he grew up and rose through the football ladder.

“They were big brothers always full of encouragement and wanting better for me. They were the beacons of my childhood, they always wanted better for me and other children from Makokoba. The vibe was always until you play for the big teams, you have not yet arrived in football. So they pushed us hard for better especially me whose first love was tennis but I flourished in football,” said Moyo.

Asked about how he earned the moniker, Bigger enunciated as Bhikha by many fans and teammates, Moyo paid tribute to Nkululeko Dlodlo another Makokoba brother who pushed him to do better.

“When playing in the suburb with peers I was always the smallest but the most sought after to line up with, so he called me Bigger meaning despite being small I was the better of the lot among my teammates. So the name stuck some called me Bhikha yet it was Bigger as coined by Chunky (Nkululeko Dlodlo),” said Moyo.

It really did not come as a surprise that he excelled as from an elementary stage he was in the midst of greatness with players like the phenomenal Peter Ndlovu, Gift Pha Nkomo, Collen Nkomo and one Togara. He described these guys as exceptional talents in elementary stages and is not surprised Peter Ndlovu went on to scale the heights he did in football. In the Boys’ Clubs, Moyo played with former Zimbabwe youth international Lloyd Jowa, Passmore Moyo, Alex Munawa, Andrew Musumhere and Vivian Mushekwa. Under Gwede’s Saints Under-10s Moyo recalls watching the likes of Obey Sova, Ben Nzelengwe, Norman Gumbo and Charles Mhlauri in the Under-16s.

He landed at Highlanders FC by default. Poor communication saw Moyo arrive at Nguboyenja grounds thinking he would find Jani and his mates for the Chikwata Under-14 trials at the beginning of 1986. Unknown to him correct information was that the trials were at Raylton Grounds and with a few familiar faces and Bosso juniors’ gaffer Ali Dube being from Makokoba, Bigger found a home. Gwede was bitter about losing his priced pearl.

“Every time we met he would insist that I must return home (Zimbabwe Saints). I was happy to be at Highlanders for many reasons in that most in my neighbourhood supported the club and others like Gift Lunga (Snr), Benjamin Nkonjera, Simba Rusike and Peter Ndlovu were also at the club including some of my Mzilikazi High schoolmates,” said Moyo.

At Highlanders FC he found an environment where even the community was part of the ecosystem.

“Besides Xaba, Phiri, the Makokoba community, the Highlanders supporters forced you to walk a narrow path with commitment and discipline to the game, club and society at large. You could not afford to step out of line as everyone was there watching,” said Moyo who declared his love and respect for Makokoba for bringing him up morally upright.

He said team talks involving former senior team members like Lawrence Phiri, Titus Majola and Phineas Mabaleka made them realise that it’s not over until they have made the grade and started for the first team at 1500 hours.

“They helped us on values. From an early age we were psyched up to face the biggest rivals Dynamos and Zimbabwe Saints and when we eventually broke into the first team, we felt the intensity of expectation from the fans,” he added.

So in his debut year many will remember him lifting the Chibuku Under-14 Trophy in the middle of the field with Peter Ndlovu after they had beaten Dragon Stars 2-0 in the main curtain-raiser to the Caps Rovers versus Highlanders FC match at Barbourfields Stadium in 1986.

Heroes of that memorable afternoon that left many believing that the famous Bosso (Liverpool) juniors had been re-incarnated with the boys’ performance.

Likile Sithole, Anderson Maphosa, Bee Sithole, Alex Munawa, Nkosana Sibanda, Melusi Marvellous, Benjani Nkonjera and the young Nsukuzonke were some of the Under-14s that shone on the sonny midday. The starlets added the Bonar Cup at the end of the year and in 1987 still Under-14 Moyo captained the side to the Bonar Cup finals, a national play-off with the likes of Tongai Chieza.

Of Peter Ndlovu as a teammate he says: “What the world got to see at Coventry and national team is a glimpse of what he displayed from childhood. A very committed and disciplined player who never got a red card, no matter how much he was fouled, even as a kid, Peter would get up and get on with his football.”

Peter was quickly promoted through the age groups so much that at 15 he would feature in the Under-16s, 18s and reserve side ultimately laying a permanent shout for first team football in 1989 which coincided with the arrival of Roy Barreto who gave youngsters a chance.

Moyo was part of the first Under-17 team in 1989-90.

“We had the likes of Tichaona Diya, Alois Bunjira, Musawenkosi Masango, Gilbert Mushangazhike, Simba Rusike, Shingi Arlon, Graig Payne, Wayne Albertyn and Brian Manda, that team should have been kept together through the age-groups, we could have gone far,” said Bigger.

Bigger recalls teaming up with Simba Rusike ex-Railstars, Nsukuzonke, Nkonjera, Mavuto Ndlovu and Tongai Chieza in the Mzilikazi High School team of 1990.

They drew 0-0 with Zambia in Zimbabwe and lost 1-0 in Lusaka to bow out.

Moyo said they were coached by legends Charles Sibanda and Steve Phiri.

Bigger said he had to bid his time to earn promotion as Highlanders FC had a very strong side that won the Zifa Cup in 1990 boasting talented players like Adam Ndlovu, Rahman Gumbo, Benjamin Mpofu, Lazarus Mwambopo, Peter Ndlovu, Boy Ndlovu, Gift Lunga, Makheyi Nyathi and Madinda Ndlovu.

His Under-17 teammates Bunjira and Stewart Murisa were promoted to the first team in 1991 at Darryn T.

“Eish our teammates must have been promoted to the Darryn T first team in 1991, we had to wait with Wayne. Wieslaw Grawboski wanted us to join Darryn T that year and we refused and we found ourselves training with the reserves after impressing Roy Barreto,” said Moyo.

First team football beckoned in 1992 with reserve team appearances with the likes of Cyprian Kanyemba, Harrison Meki, Methembe Ndlovu, Jerry Sibanda and other seniors.

His break into the first team would land in the 1993 Africa Day Cup a second half introduction to partner Adam Ndlovu in a 4-4-2 formation. It was no easy afternoon being introduced to face the wrath of Godfrey Paradza, Elvis Chiweshe, Stanley Charambadare, Henry Chari and Angirayi Chapo.

“They gave us a good run for the money. I remember it was a floodlit match and I scored the only goal and that was the morale booster I needed as everyone was happy with my performance including my coaches,” said Moyo.

He was happy to see himself lining up with Adam, Willard Khumalo, Rahman Gumbo, Cleopas Dlodlo, Lunga Snr, Madinda, Nkonjera and Sikhumbuzo Ndebele some being players he grew up watching, others a generation he was in the mix with.

Football back then he said was very entertaining hence people could be at stadia as early as 10am. He said that was the culture.

“Back in the day, we started playing at the Youth Clubs, juniors and we curtain-raised, fans got to know about juniors from an early age and literally supported and pushed for you to be promoted. I wish we could see a return to those days.

“I would say the senior players embraced me when I was promoted. They guided me through the ropes and stood by me throughout my stay at Highlanders,” said Moyo.

He remembers the ecstatic atmosphere at Barbourfields Stadium after scoring against Dynamos or Zimbabwe Saints.

“Highlanders is not a football club, it’s a movement, it’s a nation. Everything gets to be about the club, you feel at training, outside the field, matches, everywhere, there is expectation on good conduct and great performances. Nothing rivals playing for Bosso. Those were the best days of my life,” he said.

He won the 1993 league title and 1994 BP League Cup. Moyo left for Kenyon College at the beginning of 1995 with Albertyn where he continued to shine. Arriving in the US, Kenyon did not have a profile but by 1998, the college had improved so much that they were ranked second out of 64 universities in a soccer tournament.