The Sunday News
Danisa Phiri
“Memories do not leave like people do, they always stay with you, whether they are good or bad,” Tom Jones once sang.
The lyrics of Tom Jones song have a true meaning to Takesure “Tito” Muyeya who has good and bad memories about his heydays while turning out for Gweru United.
He kicked his foot ball life at Gweru United Football Association (Gafa) turning out for Dairiboard FC in 1977. At the side he played alongside Kisdo Matsika, Richard Sibanda and the side was coached by Takesure Zulu. He regards his playing days at Dairiboard FC as a spring board to professional soccer.
“At Dairiboard FC I gained exposure as I had more game time, as a result the footballer in me was discovered. From then on I did not look back,” he recounts.
He spent two seasons with the Gafa outfit before he joined Gweru United in 1979. When he joined Pisa Pisa as Gweru United was known in the length and breadth of this country. The side boasted of quality that was under the mentorship of former Mashonaland United midfield general William Sibanda.
Muyeya has a bad memory about his long stint with Pisa Pisa.
“ We were a good that boasted of quality players like Wonder Chaka who was a scoring machine but we failed to clinch any silverware, let alone a Super League. That’s how sad we were at our side. Ours was a so near yet so far scenario. At times we could finish in third or second position,” he reveals.
When he joined the side he played alongside Robert Phiri, Wonder Chaka, Sam Semwayo, Paul Ngwazi, Ranga Mutanga, Richard Manda, Collen Semwayo, Ashot Mhlanga, Lancelot Mhlanga, Fanyana Hlatshwayo, Nobert Zimuto, Mike Mathe, Roseman Dracko. He reveals that he made his debut match in a Chibuku semi-final against Dynamos that had talent in the form of Laban Kandi, David Mandigora, Kuda Muchemeyi among the galaxy of stars that donned the Dynamos colours.
A match that left an indelible memory in his mind is one when he played an instrumental role in beating Highlanders in the Zifa semi-final cup.
“I was voted the Man of the Match after I put up a good performance and a scored an all important goal that helped our side progress to the finals,”he says.
However, a match that goes down as his worst game was when his side was drubbed by an Under-23 national team in a friendly encounter.
“We were beaten by many goals and I scored two own goals and what also makes it my worst match is that we were outplayed in all departments,” he says.
Muyeya reveals that Majuta Mpofu was the most difficult player he faced in the Super League. According to him State House Tornadoes FC was their bogey side and always gave them a torrid time when they clashed with it.
“State House Tornadoes was a difficult side to us, as a result we failed to beat them in any encounter, its either we would draw or they will beat us,” he tells Sunday Life Sport.
He picks the following players as his best players Ranga Mutunga, Peter Mlauzi, Ashton Mhlanga, Takesure “Tito” Muyeya, Richard Mandah, Collen Semwayo, Kisdo Matsika, Moses Desuza, Robert Phiri, Nobert Sebastian, Knight Mathe, Alexander Hussein. His say his best coach was William Sibanda .
Turning to the junior policy he reveals that his side was built on the players that were from the junior ranks.
“We were a good side but we lacked money so every season we lost good players as they left in search of green pastures. So we had to rely on the juniors or the reserve side players,” he says.
He has a word of advice to Premiership teams.
“The PSL teams should take a leaf from Highlanders and use their junior players since such players would have understood the culture and ideology of the team. Teams should desist from the tendency of hiring players from other teams while they overlook their juniors. I have noted with concern that there are some teams who have a habit of not building a team from a strong foundation of juniors but they prefer to hire mercenaries who are after money but do not have the club at heart,” he says.
Like many football greats who featured on this column Mayeya is of the opinion that local soccer is no longer as entertaining as it was during his playing days.
“In my opinion I believe the standard of local soccer has gone down because if you look at it if a player shows some flashes in a season usually a South-African based team snaps up him. I think one of the reasons that could have led to that is poor remuneration in the domestic league, that is why a promising player would prefer to play in a Division One league in foreign countries like South Africa, Swaziland or Botswana,” he says.
Factfile
Takesure Tito Muyeya was born on 5 September 1961 Amaveni Kwekwe.
He did his primary education at Chiedza Primary School and Mwungani Primary School.
He says due to lack of funding he could not proceed to Secondary School.
He married Blandinah and the couple is blessed with six children namely Enos (32), Moses (30), Oliver (28), Peter(26), Michelle (24) and Joel (18).
They worship at Madzibaba chinjiko
He a dare (a preacher).
He bought a house at Ascot and a has a plot at Mandindi in Gweru.
