Joseph Ndlovu–Eagles’ rock

16 May, 2021 - 00:05 0 Views
Joseph Ndlovu–Eagles’ rock Joseph Ndlovu

The Sunday News

Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
IN every team setting there are those that make things happen, and those that hog the limelight and dominate media headlines.

The media and fans develop a belief that one or two individuals are the team and the rest mere supporting acts.

Former Young Warriors goalkeeper Pernell Mckop who was promoted to the Warriors establishment at 18 with Godfrey Paradza, speaks highly of one such star.

Joseph Ndlovu was a key member of both Bulawayo Wanderers and Eagles’ defence for a while. Many may not remember the brilliant defender who maintained that Eagles get respectable score lines in both defeat and victory with top drawer performances.

“Joseph Ndlovu was a hard working, industrious central defender who had a very big heart and never gave up. What he lacked in size and physical attributes, but he made up for that with hard work, fighting and leadership by example. He was hard to beat on the ground and in the air,” said Mckop.

Another club goalkeeper Nelson Dube had this to say:

“Joseph Ndlovu was our Number 5 at Eagles. He used to partner Arthur Makombe, in our First Division days up to our promotion he played with Charles Wadawu, Obadiah Chiwetu and Peter Mpofu in defence. He was a very calm defender.

He also partnered Felix Ntuthu and when the club bought players like George Mushayandebvu and Asani Karigeni from Zisco with Robert Phiri coming from Gweru.

“He remained part of the team, many defenders came and departed but he stayed on deserving of club legendary status. He put in a good shift for the club with even younger guys who came on board who include Elvis Chiweshe and Felix Ntuthu,” said Dube.

He was a brilliant defender who gave any of the goalkeepers Johannes Tshuma, Mckop, Nelson Dube, Lucky Dube and Alban Mafemba peace of mind in front of their goal.

He probably had the misfortune of playing for a team where most of the attention went to Boy Ndlovu, Elvis Chiweshe, Tanny Banda, Eddie Zimuto, Stanford Ntini, Felix Ntuthu, Charles Wadawu, Rahman Gumbo, John Nyumbu, Richard Manda, Victor Moonsammy and Lucky Dube.

Ndlovu was a defender worth his salt.

He gave the game his all and remains one of the best defenders ever to don the black and gold colours of Eagles.

He played at the heart of the Eagles defence with players like Gumbo, Chiweshe, Stoneshead Moyo, the late Wadawu and Noel Nyoni.

“I was very slim but good in the air, strikers always thought they would have an easy way past me, but I would stand my ground against them,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu describes the duo of Shaky Tauro and Gift Mpariwa as having been the most formidable he faced.

“Those two were very good and strong, they made it a point that in every game they must score,” said Ndlovu.

And true to that many defenders may attest to the duo as having been a nightmare.

They had a great eye for goal, pace, stamina, height and a striker’s intelligence. Both stayed among the top goal getters for almost a decade and represented the country several times.

Ndlovu, a 61-year-old father of three of which two are males, is happy that the trio are married with a return of nine grand children.

He works for power utility company Zesa, Bulawayo Urban.

It all began in the dusty streets of Mpopoma where he like most of the boys played on the street. The highlight being naughty and sneaking into the park where there was green turf for a better feel of things.

He played in the Mashonaland Under-14s with the likes of Tapiwa Mudyambanje, Emmanuel Moyo and Peter Kaviza in 1974-75.

He moved to Meikles and played alongside Titus Majola, Zebron Magorimbo, Ben Makadzange, Teddy Nyoni, James Banda and Arthur Makombe.

He was spotted by Noel Nyoni who invited him to Eagles where he would make a name for himself as the club rose through to being one of the most liked teams in the land.

For his troubles on the field, Ndlovu has three memorable achievements. Helping the team to win promotion to the Super League in 1984, reaching the Zifa Cup final and losing 2-1 to Caps United and the BAT Rosebowl win over BAT Rosebowl were his career highlights.

“I am proud to have been part of some of the most memorable times for the club. I was happy after the Zifa Cup final to see Boy Ndlovu emerge as first runner-up on the Soccer Star of the Year calendar,” Ndlovu.

Ndlovu retired in 1994 and joined the late Joseph James’ All Stars Social Football Club.

To many he is among those that played football and have been thrown to the scrapyard, but to many of his peers he is a true legend of the game.

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