The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
FORMER Hwange and Chibuku Shumba striker, Twyman Ncube has challenged today’s generation of the Colliery side’s players to up the ante.
The coalminers who started like a house on fire claiming the scalps of Dynamos among their victims, have of late been on a downward slide.
The slump in form which saw fears heighten last week with a 2-1 loss to Mushowani, has not pleased Ncube.
“Hwange FC represents a rich footballing heritage in this country. As former club greats we cannot keep quiet when we see the great work we did in perpetuating the name being obliterated by this bunch of players.
“I implore them to up the game and save the team from relegation. We have been the most relegated side in the Premiership today and what we want to see is these boys seeing a brighter future for themselves and the club by pulling it out of the drop zone, danger zone early,” said Ncube.
A veteran of the Chamber of Mines Championships and part of the side that won the 1970 Castle Cup when they were a Division Two side, believes none of the Hwange teams measures up to the quality and class of the late 1960s and 1970s sides.
“We have had talent coming in drips and drabs since Independence but none of it is comparable to what the club produced before. There was pure talent, a group of very good players at one go at the same place.
“The players came from a development system designed locally and promoted by a vibrant league established and sponsored by Wankie Colliery Company. Even at a junior level there were structures and role model coaches who were Hwange FC players attached to the Sports Department who went out to groom young players,” said Ncube the younger brother to another legend from the town, James Mwape Sakala.
His elder brother ran for the mine and played football for the great side before coaching about three generations of players.
“I believe Thatha Lula, as the club was affectionately known back then, played some of the best football in the country.
“There were plenty plus goals, fans came to watch exciting football from talented players. I am challenging these boys to do it in honour of past generations of Hwange players and the supportive community around them. We are demanding 110 percent from them,” he said.
Ncube recalls how competitive the club was in the 1970s with Posani Sibanda, Masiwa and Chimao Banda competing for the goal-minder’s starting position.
The former striker believes Sibanda is the best goalkeeper to don the club colours ahead of the other two goalies. He concedes that there were other players who showed class like Chenjerayi Dube who like Posani guarded the posts for the country.
Mwape Sakala, Amos Rendo, Chutika Tembo, Daniel Rendo, Misheck Mwanza, Sam Mutende, Patson Ncube, Kizito Tembo and Daniel Magura are in a basket which Ncube says was cream.
Chutika starred for Highlanders as well while Amos was national team material in a very competitive era.
“I have Chutika, Sam Mutende, Amos and Mwape make my back four. Mwape was so versatile he would score goals and revert to defence and play with aplomb or start in defence, if the going is tough he would move to attack and get the goals. We would simply play through balls and he would outrun the defence to score,” said Ncube.
The Hwange midfield was a star-studded cast of Buddy Sibanda, Barry Daka, Isaac Phiri, Joachim Nkaka, Rodrick Simwanza, Nyepo Longwe, Aaron Lowani, Malcom Withle, Daniel Tembo, Ken Fulton and Nyaro Mumba.
“From these I would have Barry Daka, Simwanza, Isaac Phiri and Mumba. While they may not have been in Hwange at the same time, they make it into my team of 11 that is the best ever to don the team’s strip,” he added.
Among the hottest strikers the coalminers assembled were Paul Moyo, a legendary figure in Zimbabwe football across the country and Botswana, Obert Agayi who left after the 1972 Kamandama Disaster, Chris Yoyo, Michael Lungu, Stephen Chuma, Leonard Tembo, Joseph Mapolisa, Jimmy Sibanda and David Khumalo.
Ncube picks himself to partner dribbling wizard David Khumalo in attack.
On the bench Gilbert Zulu of the current crop makes it along Ben Soko, Austin Ncube, Skeva Phiri, Chris Yoyo, Aaron Lowani and Chimmo Banda.
Asked who the best players have been in the last 50 years of Zimbabwe, Bruce Grobbelaar, Ephert Lungu, Amos Rendo, Daniel Chikanda and Martin Kennedy would make up his defence, William Sibanda, Willard Khumalo, Kevin Sheriddan and George Shaya are his midfield preferred players with Peter Nyama and Shakyman Tauro completing the 11.
On the bench among the best players he has watched in 50 years of Castle Lager sponsorship of the local game, Ncube has Alick Masanjala, Joeph Zulu, Stanley Ndunduma, Stix Mtizwa, Majuta Mpofu, Japhet Mparutsa with former Bosso scoring sensation Zenzo Moyo the only player of the immediate past yesteryear among the greatest players.
Ncube preferred the 4-4-2 with a strong emphasis to attacking through the wings and midfield.
“The 4-4-2 formation allows mobility among the four, wingers on the flanks and linkmen in the middle linking up play. Emphasis is on fast and sweeping moves from the back through midfield, that was football then,” said Ncube.
