The Sunday Mail
Sir 18area.coms
FOR the life in me I don’t understand how Chamu Musanhu alias Baba Bhobha left out the iconic Joe “Kode” Mugabe from his best XI team, drawn from the quarter of a century we have partaken in the Premier Soccer League.
In my book, Kode was a better player than Memory Mucherahohwa!
Maybe the fact that he come from Mabvuku and not Mbare made Chamu conveniently forget about the man who drove Makepekepe from the middle of the park.
But it was a very interesting read from Musanhu, an insight by a man who has been there and done that.
When the bosses informed me that the former Dynamos man had a point to put across, using this column as his chosen medium, I had no qualms about stepping aside.
However, it did feel awkward reading about myself for once.
Now I understand why Omega Sibanda does that thing with his eyes each time he gets the 18area treatment. Now I understand why Norman Mapeza believes Sir is a disgruntled former teammate.
You see, with this column all you know is you have been hit but with what or by who you don’t know.
That said, I won’t be surprised if Pastor Chris unearths some charms and red clothes during his sure-to-be oversubscribed Worship and Communion Service at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
One narrative that hasn’t been told about having all the Harare teams share the NSS is the increase in the number of suspect-looking men and women who have been seen walking bare foot on that turf at odd hours.
Everything from snuff to holy stones have been planted under that not-so-green turf.
Thankfully at Dynamos, the money that used to be set aside for the “kit cleaning” services an infamous traditional healer provided or claimed to provide, is no longer being abused.
Lloyd Mutasa has brought to an end that nonsense.
One thing that also has to be brought to an end is the case, or curse, of former players who believe that clubs they played for during their youth still owe them a life.
The story about the Mastermind, George Shaya makes sad reading but also serves as a timely reminder to us all that to everything there is a season.
Shaya’s wife Agnes reckons DeMbare are giving the legend a raw deal.
“My husband served Dynamos well, he did a lot for them and one would expect the club to be there for him. It really hurts,” she said last week.
Sometimes the truth hurts and this is one of those sometimes: Dynamos is not obliged to assist any former player, and neither is any club.
The clubs are struggling to meet their current obligations!
Clubs don’t owe former employees anything apart from gratitude and it would be wrong to blame clubs for not taking care of former employees.
The parties entered contracts, the players played ball, and the clubs paid for those services. When the contracts lapsed, that was the end of those relationships.
We have former players like Macreza Navaya, Eddmore Mufema, Henry Charles and Stewart Murisa struggling to eke out a living and it would be unfair for us to lash at their former clubs for not doing something about their sorry situations.
At their prime, soccer players do not want to hear the gospel that Desmond Maringwa and the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe preach. They are oblivious to the fact that football is a short career.
It’s like social media fame, one day it’s Pokello, the next its Olinda and the following day belongs to Lameck!
Players should seriously consider life after football.
Maybe at our finest football facility, Pr Chris will teach our players the the prayer of King David in Psalms 90:12: “Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Sir exits the scene!
Sir is social media commentator and writes this satirical column in his personal capacity. Feedback: [email protected]