The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
WHO is the most successful former Hwange player?
THE million dollar question would not have ready answers as in their dozens who played for the Colliery side achieved what was there for the taking at the time.
There is the team that dominated the Chamber of Mines Games in the 1960s and went on to win the 1970 and 1973 Castle Cup finals, there are players who were in the 1990s side that triumphed in the same tournament twice.
One then looks at those who left the club to seek fame and fortune, an impressive list that includes Stephen Chuma, Twyman Ncube and Posani Sibanda who followed former Hwange gaffer Jack Meghear to Chibuku Shumba later to be called Black Aces.
There is Chutika Tembo who played for Highlanders’ regional championships dominant side of 1973-75 and a list that includes Rodrick Simwanza, Barton Mwalukuka, Chenjerayi Dube, Rodwell Chinyengetere who would win the Soccer Star of the Year Award twice after leaving Hwange, Method Mwanjali, Gilbert Zulu, Carrington Gomba, Antony Sibanda, Obert Moyo, Takesure Chinyama and Charles Chilufya.
Among the list of players to don the Chipangano colours and be a success elsewhere is former rightback Milos “Doink” Phiri who won two championship titles with Caps United in 2004 and 2005.
Now a mine dump truck operator at Number Two Colliery, Phiri was born on 22 November 1976 in his home town of Hwange.
He went to Makwika Primary School which is at Number Three Village, a place he grew up in. The suburb, the furthest of the Colliery villages deep towards Hwange National Park on the western tip of the town has a strong football history with many yesteryear greats having started off there.
Plastic footballs were popular when he was growing up and he says they made him the player he got to be. It is where he grasped the mere basics of the game of football in an environment where versatility was key.
He horned his own skilful play as a right-back who could also play in midfield.
Former Hwange stars Salim Milanzi and Chenjerayi Dube were his childhood chubbies whom he played with in the dusty patches of Makwika who managed to play Premiership football with him and Hwange FC.
Milanzi went on to play for Motor Action in Harare with relative success while Dube moved to Highlanders.
Former Hwange pint-sized rightback and striker Benson Soko rates as Phiri’s childhood Chipangano hero.
So many players forget to sing praises of men who would have stood by them during their elementary years in the game.
Phiri does not forget his roots, managing to mention one Fred Mwatonoka, a former Hwange FC player who was his coach at Brazil, one of the town’s top clubs.
The defender, nicknamed Doink after the wrestling funny midget, was at Makwika Primary School from 1983 to 1989 and Hwange Secondary School 1990 to 1993.
“At primary school we played fewer games. I would not say we had good competition at that level as in some years we played just two, we stayed fit and good in the game by playing in the townships,” said Phiri.
Phiri did not play football at secondary school level because of what he terms favouritism in the selection of teams in those years.
He admits growing up in Makwika, the home of two protagonists Brazil Yakumanzi and Kabwe helped mould the footballer in him.
“The likes of Charles Phiri, Pingeni Mwale, Masauso Phiri and Friday Phiri impacted a lot in me. It is after watching these local teams several times that I said one day I would like to be a star like them. They were top stars who could make the grade into the Hwange first team,” said Phiri.
Phiri with crest-riding Caps United of 2003
After school Phiri joined Brazil and would later be identified by Jones Chilengi who would introduce him to Premiership football in 1998.
Phiri has so much faith in the local league. He believes it could solve some of the Hwange FC problems as the structure could serve as a conveyor belt for the club to get cheaper talent. Without it he believes a lot of talent could have been lost in the town.
“I debuted against Black Aces after Chilengi identified me following the Makwika derby between Brazil and Kabwe Warriors. After the game the senior players in the team were impressed with my performance. We had David Phiri, Nation Dube, Vitalis Kamocha, Chingumbe Masuku and Tavaka Gumbo in the dressing room. They all praised me for a good afternoon’s performance,” said Phiri.
Jabulani Ngwenya, Brian Njobvu, Aleck Nyoni, Obert Moyo, Mwansa, Ossie Sibanda, Stanley Nkomo, Abu Milazi, Clifford Makiyi, Kamocha, Cosmas Ngwenya, Shimani Mathe, Chingumbe Masuku, Richard Nyathi and Amon Mukozho were among a list of big names he played with at Hwange.
He would score his first Premiership goal, a penalty against AmaZulu three years later. The skilful right-back, who was quite creative and useful on the overlap, used to send good crosses for his forwards Gilbert Zulu, Kenneth Ngulube and Chinga Joseph Mwansa to finish off.
Phiri regards Black Aces’ ricketry Nqobizitha Ncube as his most difficult opponent with Hwange Stadium the best venue he played at while dismissing Gwanzura as the worst.
Former Hwange chubby midfielder who would later move to Tongogara, Misheck “Chubhu” Sibanda is the best player he ever watched on the domestic scene.
“With Wankie I have a 1999 Independence Cup runners-up medal,” said the former star.
Phiri moved to Caps United in 2002 and quickly established himself as a regular and was part of the 2004-05 championship winning sides with Zambians Laughter Chilembe and Ian Bakala, Malawian Joseph Kamwendo, Brian Badza, Leonard Tsipa, Ashley Rambanepasi, Witness Munkuli and Lloyd Chitembwe.
“The competition at Caps United was top notch, I enjoyed my stay before I joined Mwana Africa in 2007 where we played four rounds of the Caf Confederation Cup only to be knocked out by TP Mazembe in the final qualifying round before the mini-league stage,” said Phiri.
At Mwana Africa he teamed up with Chipo Tsodzo, Thomas Sweswe, Graham Ncube, Benjamin Marere and Blessing Gumiso under the late Willard Khumalo.
A year later when Fred Moyo moved to Hwange as managing director of Hwange Colliery Company he spearheaded Phiri’s return to bolster the ever-struggling coalminers.
He stayed on as a player until 2010 when at 34 injuries appeared to take forever to heal.
The championship medals with Caps United and the fourth round exit in the Caf Confederation Cup are achievements that remain etched in Phiri’s heart.
“I am happy to have achieved what was achievable, I would not say it was much but I tried my level best all the time to be among the best,” said Phiri.
About his beloved Hwange, Phiri is among thousands of grieving fans and former players.
He says for Hwange to regain its status there is a need for a paradigm shift.
“We are still living in the past as Hwange, we must change for the better,” he said.
Among other accolades collected by Phiri is the 1995 Peter Ndlovu Trophy he won with Hwange Under-19s. That tournament featured Maxwell “Marhino” Dube of Chapungu.
