The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
REPRESENTING Zimbabwe at the 1980 Moscow Olympics will always remain Shaky Toendepi Nyathi’s highest sporting highlight in a career that saw him travel the width and breath of Africa with the Young Warriors.
“I could not believe it when I was named among the players to represent the country at the Olympics. Success had come too early for me considering that I had been promoted to the first team at Zimbabwe Saints the previous year. I was one of three boys from Bulawayo who made the grade with the other two being Peter Nkomo from Highlanders and my teammate Tapiwa Mudyambanje the elder brother of former Bosso striker Tobias,” said Nyathi.
Nyathi said flying and being in a European country for the first time will always be a moment to savor for him and his teammates. That trip stands out above others he undertook to countries like Swaziland, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Egypt.
He said the dawn of Independence had given hope to a generation of very talented players who were in the wee years of their careers. Nyathi is happy that some of them at least got a chance to be part of the first senior team that played in a four- team tournament to mark the country’s Independence and celebrations. They were able to hang around for a couple of years before members of the first youth teams took over and ruled the roost.
For the young generation it brought about a sense of belief that they would tour the world and seek greener pastures. Nyathi believes Rhodesia’s isolation for almost a decade from international football, had denied George Shaya, Tymon Mabaleka, Gibson Homela, William Sibanda, Aleck Mwanza, Amos Rendo, Ernest Kamba, Posani Sibanda, Steven Chuma, Robert Godoka, Shadreck Ngwenya and many others a chance to be scouted by overseas spies.
“While I celebrate Zimbabwe’s 40th birthday anniversary and being part of the first national team to play at a major tournament, I have no doubt that the past had far too many players who deserved better for their skills. In great numbers they would have made the grade anywhere in the world if not for the country’s international isolation. It really hit hard on many greats and there was 1980 ushering a new dawn on many fronts including sport for us,” said Nyathi.
Nyathi said participating in the Olympics had opened their eyes as footballers and had left them hungrier for more.
“We may not have won but the exposure was great. There we were with players from all over the world, we felt we could match them, we could play with them at any league. We learnt so much, saw the professional approach overseas clubs employed even at warm up and matches.
“Returning home winless, we were wiser and better and I am happy many of the players went on to make names for themselves at their clubs and senior national team,” said Nyathi.
The team was coached by Sherperd Murape, a former national team player who was at Dynamos and Paul Moyo who then was considered one of the best upcoming coaches whose great work had seen Risco now Zisco promoted to the Rhodesia National Football League in 1977 and his success had earned a Castle Cup triumph in 1978.
“It was great working with big name coaches like Murape and Moyo. Artwell Mandaza whose inclusion in the Under-23 side had not been explained to the public, played a pivotal role as an inspirational athlete who had won it all at home and South Africa. He was our physical trainer,” said the former pint-sized winger who would later play as a midfielder before injury brought to an end a glorious career in 1987.
Sadly Zimbabwe Saints would illuminate the local scene the following year winning both the Chibuku Trophy and league title as Nyathi recovered from an injury that brought to an end a colourful career.
The Zimbabwe Olympic team had the likes of one of the best goalkeepers ever Frank Mkanga, James Takavada, Samson Phiri, Rainos Mapfumo, Anderson Maphosa, Peter Nkomo, Tapiwa Mudyambanje, Edward Katsvere, Sebastian Chikwature, Archieford Chimutanda, Leon Ndunduma, Stanley Ndunduma and Joel Shambo.
“These were some of the best players of the time. We had a great time,” said Nyathi.
Nyathi was to stay in the national youth confines for another three years. He recalls playing with the Madinda Ndlovu, David Zulu, the irrepressible Machona Sibanda, John Phiri, Epraim Dzimbiri, Bennedict Moyo, Lucky Dube, Takesure Maverengo, Maronga Nyangela and Godfrey Paradza.
“It was not by chance that these guys got to play for their country. It is good that the country earned its Independence otherwise we would have lost out on playing international football. The early Young Warriors were very good, picked up on merit with players drawn from far flung places like Hippo Valley and Hwange who stood their ground against city boys from Bulawayo, Gweru and Harare. Others came from Kwekwe and Rio Tinto in Kadoma as the selection was on merit and whoever got the chance knew of the competition to face. We were all happy for the opportunity to play for our country and sacrifice our own bit,” said Nyathi.
Nyathi had been thrown into the Zimbabwe Saints first team at 16 after impressing in the junior ranks where he played with Josphat Humbasha, Peter Kaviza and Josphat Munetsi.
He debuted against Dynamos at Rufaro Stadium in the summer of 1979 coming in as a second half substitute.
“It was a jam-packed Rufaro Stadium. Chikwata appeared to be holding out superbly until giving in to lose narrowly 1-0. I was introduced in the second half but could not stop Dynamos from walking away with a small margin win. It was a great day for me and my confidence was boosted by the encouragement I got from senior players like Gibson Homela,” said Nyathi.
He said he had learnt a lot from the seniors William Sibanda, Homela, Emmanuel Sibanda, Ebson Sugar Muguyo, Musa Muzanenhamo and Zebron Magorimbo.
Nyathi was happy too to play with Humbasha, Munetsi, Paradza, Misheck Sibanda, Ephraim Chawanda, Joseph Machingura and Chemai Hunidzarira, a cast that would be the backbone of the club in the 1980s and was key to the Cecafa Club Championships semi-finalists run in Uganda in 1987 and the league and cup run of 1988.
After retiring from the game Nyathi remained a Zimbabwe Saints supporter and the club’s demise is something that he is never keen to talk about.
He is an active member of Mzilikazi Pirates, a vibrant social soccer side in Bulawayo. Nyathi was born on 27 December 1963 and has lived in Bulawayo ever since and is married with two children a boy and a girl.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that he became a soccer star as he went through another football cradle — Lobengula Primary School in Mzilikazi where Summer Ncube and Nhamo Shambira remain among the best of footballers to go through the school’s teams.
