The Sunday News
THEY say football in Zimbabwe is the number One sport, supported and played with “passion’’.
We underline passion, because we believe there has been a “dearth’’ in that respect.
Of course you have guessed right.
When one talks about football in Zimbabwe, it would be a misnomer if one doesn’t mention the country’s traditional Big Three powerhouses, Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United.
In recent months all the three teams have been rocked by a myriad of problems which we will not mention because they are already in the public domain.
Yes now there is peace at DeMbare, the defending Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions Dynamos, who are now sitting pretty at the apex of the Premier Soccer League standings with 43 points.
Everything hasn’t been rosy at CAPS United either, but they are perched up there. One only wonders why with such a record that some frustrated members among their vegetable wielding supporters went haywire in their last league match against How Mine.
Club owner Twine Phiri, a true gentleman indeed, has done all his best under the prevailing circumstances. And we hope that his threats to walk away from the game are nothing but a THREAT. Then there is their coach Taurai Mangwiro, who always plays to the gallery blaming everything on everyone except himself. Don’t they say that the hiring and firing of coaches is just, but one of the hazards of the profession.
That we doubt CAPS’s capabilities is neither here nor there, but, the Green machine have confounded us all and they are now sitting pretty in second spot with 42 points, just a point away from Dynamos, following their win over Black Rhinos yesterday.
As for Highlanders under-fire coach Kelvin Kaindu it has been a hectic period for him in recent months, on and off the field of play, and he has to brew something today to please the team’s large following in Bulawayo and beyond, the better for his future at the Bulawayo giants.
But one thing that is enviable about this guy is that he still believes that all shall be well, despite glaring realities on the ground, he still believes his stuttering lads can still walk away with the scudetto. But as long as MaDeMbare keep on winning, it might after all prove a herculean task for the Zambian.
A loss to Dynamos, suspension to Njabulo Ncube, a loss to Harare City and perceived animosities with his fellow members of the technical team which culminated in a meeting on Friday, does not augur well for a coach chasing his first ever league title in three years.
But then, a lot will hinge on how Kaindu and the Bosso family have dealt with the issue of over indulgence by the players.
The popular talk nowadays is that when one throws a stone in some popular night club in the city, one will certainly land on a Highlanders player. Kuthiwa ama-players eBosso asethanda izipoti, kubomabhija uyabathola, kuma Fridays lama Sundays awubasweli.
And if you see them pointing fingers at their “perceived’’ enemies, ironically their own supporters cum paymasters, bayebe bela mabhabhalazi.
Maybe you will be wondering why we are talking about the country’s big three clubs.
Dynamos was originally founded in 1963 after a merger between two lesser teams in Mbare then Harare Township, the side quickly became one of the strongest in the then Rhodesian league, and by the attainment of the country’s independence in 1980 it had become the country’s most successful team, having won six national titles.
Kuthiwa yafonywa nga maNyasaranda.
On the other hand, CAPS United or Kepekepe Bhora as two of our regular contributors in our From The Terraces Column, Trainos Marecha and Samas from Maphisa, affectionately refer to their team, was formed in 1973. It rose to prominence in the late 1970s and early 1980s when it was home to some of the finest ever Zimbabwean players who included Shacky “Mr Goals” Tauro, the late Stanley “Sinyo” Ndunduma, Joel “Jubilee” Shambo, Stanford “Stix|” Mtizwa, Friday “Breakdown” Phiri, Clever Muzuva, Size Torindo and Brenna Msiska. During this period, CAPS United got the nickname “Cup Kings” as it virtually monopolised winning knockout tournaments like Chibuku Trophy, Natbrew Zifa Cup and the Independence Trophy. It’s avid fans nicknamed it “Makepekepe”.
However, the creation of Black Rhinos FC, bankrolled by the Zimbabwe Defence Forces in the mid-1980s, nearly sank the CAPS United ship as almost all their best players joined the army side because of its financial muscle. However, CAPS United soldiered on and would still claim some knockout tournaments with such players like Abdul Karim, Carlos Marx, Tobias Sibanda, Never “Maswera Sei” Chiku, Eddie Muchongwe, Silver “Bonzo” Chigwenje, Maxwell Cheche Biliart and Basil Chisopo.
Good old days returned to the club in 1996 when it won the league title under the tutelage of Coach Steven Kwashi. Powered by the likes of indefatigable Joe “Kode” Mugabe, Morgan Nkathazo, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Lloyd Chitembwe, Farai Mbidzo, Edelbert Dinha, Charles Yohanne, Stewart “Shutto” Murisa and Alois “Criss-Cross” Bunjira, CAPS United virtually swept all before it, powering to an inevitable glory.
On the other hand Highlanders was formed in 1926 by the grandsons of Ndebele King Lobengula, namely Albert and Rhodes who were sons of Njube.
Then one may ask: What do the three teams have in common?
Matches between Highlanders and bitter rivals Dynamos are dubbed the “Battle of Zimbabwe’’ while those pitting CAPS and Bosso are known as the “Battle of the Cities.’’
We put our money on any of the three teams to clinch the Premiership title. And CAPS only upped the stakes yesterday.
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