The Sunday News
Thabani Maphosa
FORGOTTEN former Hwange FC striker Antony Bongoman Sibanda believes his son Tyrone is destined for the grand stand in football.
Tyrone who is based in the UK with his family, has twice captained a Zimbabwe Under-18 team based in the United Kingdom. It is a team of Zimbabwean boys living with parents and relatives in that country and every year a tournament alongside the Africa Cup of Nations is organised where the best talent of African origin is paraded.
Zimbabwe have won the last two editions with Tyrone as the skipper with the latest having been a 1-0 victory over Morocco.
Last year he could not play in the final as he sustained an injury in the semi-finals. But that did not deter the commitment and brilliance of the Zimbabweans as they won the trophy through the dreaded penalty shoot-out.
There is belief that some of the players if put on a monitoring exercise could just be what the Warriors need for international glory.
Said Antony: “My eldest son Tyrone who turned 18 in February started following in his father’s footsteps as he started playing at the age of 8. He is very talented, but he lost interest at the age of 14 and resumed playing when he was 16 which worked against him on his progression. Last season he played for an Under-18 Essex team based in London called AFC Hornchurch. He did well for someone who had given up for a few years. The team’s play didn’t really suit him as they only looked to play the ball long and he is ball player.”
At the end of the season, he was picked to represent the Zimbabwe Under-18s who in the UK version of the Afcon tournament in London.
Antony believes his ball player son has what it takes to get to the top.
Antony burst onto the scene towards the late 1980s before quietly moving to Ireland where he played for years before moving to the UK. He was a forceful striker who scored for fun for Chipangano as the 1970s and 1980s heroes Nyaro Mumba, Roderick Simwanza, Isaac Phirio, Skeva Phiri, Barton Mwalukuka, Jimmy Sibanda, Nathan Madhuku and David Khumalo, it was left to the young striker Antony, Kenneth Ngulube, Lowani Nyathi, Roger Sibanda, Labani Ngoma, Peter Ncube, Godfrey Tamiremi and Chris Piningu to carry the flame with then veteran striker Benson Soko.
So impressive was Antony that he was called up to the national team in 1989. He was big, endowed with an eye for goal, robust and hard to shake off the ball.
Antony who works full-time as a proof reader with a law firm, is a qualified coach with his own team.
“I am now coaching young players as I have my own team. It’s a community club which I took over and I have four teams in these age-groups,Under-10, 11, 12 and 13. I am looking to grow this club as I have four coaches helping me including Tyrone when he is not playing. I would love to start something similar in Zimbabwe,” said the father of three.
Antony, whose family made a mark in both education, health and sport in Hwange said he is motivated by the desire to give back to the community hence the desire to start with an Under-16 football tournament this year.
