The Sunday News
Lovemore Dube
HOW many players have donned national colours for over a decade?
Or how many have gone through all the age group teams and lasted over 10 years playing at the highest level for country and club?
What has since happened to longevity on the field that saw players like Barry Daka, Clemence Matawu, Gilbert Zulu, Felix Chindungwe, Madinda Ndlovu, Mkhokheli Dube, Amos Rendo, Gibson Homela and Noel Kaseke at the top of their game for over 15 years.
Agent Sawu, a former Zimbabwe international who played for the Under-20, Under-23 and the senior national bemoans the lack of staying power of modern players. He attributes that to discipline on and off the pitch.
“Discipline is key to lasting long on the field. Growing up we had people who appeared to have played football forever. They were there when we were very young and even when we started playing they were still there. They had lasted ages at the top of their game which boils down to discipline and commitment,” said Sawu.
Sawu also concurred that there are too many bubblegum stars. Youngsters touted as the next big thing fizzle out before the ink that penned their contracts has even dried.
“We have seen a number of buys touted as the next big thing fizzling out in no time before making an impression,” said Sawu.
He said this could probably be a problem with development structures in place. He said once boys are identified say for the Under-17 national team, expectations are high that it would have been a thorough process in which a majority of the boys should progress to the next age-group team.
So many boys do not even make it into the Premiership or Division One leagues.
He called for a good monitoring system so that identified gems are put in programmes, be it at club level that would see them graduate to bigger things.
Sawu who broke into the professional ranks as a Zimbabwe Saints teenage sensation in 1989, a year after the club had won its first and only league championship in independent Zimbabwe, wore national colours for 15 years.
“I was in the national team framework for close to 15 years from the Under-20s in 1989-90 to the Tunisia Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2004. Honestly rarely do we get youngsters giving such long service to the country and their clubs nowadays. It’s a challenge to us coaches to up the game,” said Sawu, a legend who is up there among the country’s most prolific strikers at both club and national team level.
He was part of the Young Warriors that won the Cosafa and went on to star at the All-Africa Games ensuring Zimbabwe a bronze medal in Egypt in 1991.
Gibson Homela had a distinguished career in national team colours turning out for Rhodesia before the country’s independence, making the cut for the squad that was a game away from reaching the 1970 World Cup finals in Brazil before losing 1-0 to Australia in the final qualifying match in Maputo, Mozambique.
He would go on to play for his country up to 1982 including a rare appearance as a player in 1985 coming on as a substitute despite being national team coach after a bundling Zifa failed to send enough players to the Cecafa tournament in Uganda.
To have played for his country on either side of Independence makes Homela one of a few such gems — a true legend of the game who was lethal in attack and as strong as teak when switched to defence in the twilight of his career.
Madinda, a right wing sensation who was the first Bosso player called into the Zimbabwe Under-20 team in 1980 was such a great player who showed staying power for club and country that he was still as lethal up to the Dream Team days in 1993. Probably the country’s most capped right winger, Ndlovu could have played a few more seasons beyond 1994 but as a target of defenders multi injuries brought to an end a colourful career that made him a household name on the continent.
Most of the guys that burst onto the scene with him in the first two years of Independence save for Maronga Nyangela and John Phiri, a cast that includes Stix Mtizwa, Joel Shambo, Stanley Ndunduma, Takesure Maverengo, Lucky Dube, David Zulu, Sebastian Chikwature and Thomas Sandringham had by 1990 fizzled out.
How many players could match Barry Daka’s longevity in the game? The veteran gaffer moved to Highlanders from Eastern Brothers in 1965 and was still good enough to continue as a player at Olympics in 1984 when Bosso snatched him up to replace Bobby Clark as coach.
Daka says those that have lasted long in the game, it boils down to discipline and passion for football.
“We were never driven by money, we loved football during our times with the likes of other legends like Homela. That is why even 50 years later we are still contributing in our own small way as coaches or instructors to the game.
“Today, women, alcohol and substance abuse have contributed to the bubblegum syndrome where players do not last long in the game. It’s a worrying factor because the passion element seems not to be there anymore,” said the former Bosso, Wankie and Olympics midfield general.
He said players have to be dedicated to the game to last longer.
Today’s generation, he said, was lucky in that the game carried a lot of motivation in terms of remuneration while during their time there was no money to talk about.
Noel Kaseke burst into the Highlanders first team in 1998 and stayed on as a professional player until last year — 20 years.
He played in Albania, Cyprus where he is regarded as a Paralimni legend and similarly at Omonia, India and Arab Emirates where he is now coaching.
A factor about his staying power was discipline and keeping good company.
Groupies have been the downfall of many a talent.
“I enjoyed early nights, family time, eating well and I steered off alcohol and drugs. These were the key ingredients. Early nights guarantee you good sleep and the body recovers well, eating well replenishes what is lost during the day and training makes sure the body stays in good shape. Alcohol intake slows you down as years go by and above all Topi — discipline, it is a fundamental issue for every sportsperson,” said Kaseke, a former Zimbabwe international who on his Arab Emirates vacation has been assisting Indlovu Iyanyathela and Christian Brothers College.
Clubs and the national association should consider testimonial matches for long serving players. Funds raised from such matches could go a long way in planting a foundation for lives after football.
Players like Gilbert Zulu, Clemence Matawu, Heritein Masuku and Moses Jackson have given football their all since the early 2000s with over 15 years each of topflight football.
When they retire the game will be poorer without them and hence deserve a farewell token for the new life they will soon be embarking on.
