The Sunday News
Sports Reporters
ZIMBABWE Saints FC legend Lloyd Jowa has appealed to the Chikwata faithfuls to be patient as he believes the former Premier Soccer League giant will awaken from its deep slumber. Jowa poured out his heart out to the Sunday News during the Highlanders versus Chicken league match at Barbourfields Stadium last weekend. “We know our supporters have waited for so long for the return of the club but as Saints legends we are working round the clock to revive the club and we believe a firm foundation will take the club to dizzy heights and we want to guard against a situation where the club will come and go,” said Jowa, who is now based in the United Kingdom.
He disclosed that a Facebook page has been launched in the United Kingdom in an quest to reach out to all Saints stakeholders. Jowa pointed out that already Saints have a team playing in the Zifa Division 3 in Bulawayo, a development he said guaranteed them a firm foundation in their quest to revive the “forgotten” club.
Jowa indicated that this time around, “young” Saints legends were tasked with steering the ship to revive the club and that he was equipped for the task as has done courses in football administration in the UK.
Asked about his take on Zimbabwean fooball in terms of quality during his days and currently, Jowa said there was a huge difference in terms of the playing style. “From my assessment, players are now taught to delay. During our days we were taught to keep possession in order to have many attacking options,” he said.
Chikwata was a formidable side that gave other big clubs such as Highlanders and Dynamos a good run for their money. Any team that faced “Super Saints” always braced for a “mother of all battles”. The most famous class of 1988 coached by Roy Baretto went on a 23 game unbeaten streak to capture the league championship in style.
Popularly known as McGyver for his trickery, Jowa was a standout defender for Zimbabwe Saints in the 1990s, who also starred for the national Under-23 team that won silver in the 1995 All Africa Games. Jowa graduated into the Saints senior team in 1990 when he was only 16, a feat he says “was the highlight of my career”.
During his playing days for a team that was known for its methodical build-ups, Jowa played alongside the likes of John Sibanda, Misheck Sibanda, Melusi Nkiwane, Ben Nzelengwe, George Ayibu, Jimmy Phiri, Norman Gumbo, Joseph Machingura, Kenneth Mathe, Matambanashe Sibanda, Muzondiwa Mugadza, Nkosana Gumbo and Stanley Mutasa.
