The Sunday Mail
IT never ceases to amaze me how misguided and thoughtless some of our football fans are.
I’m pulling no punches here when I say “shame” to some of those thoughtless Caps United fans (and I’m glad that it’s only a negligible fraction of the bubbling Green Machine family) who abused their players following the fantastic Fair Play performance of skipper Tapiwa Kumbuyani and his troops in their 3-2 win over ZPC Kariba at Gwanzura in that explosive last Premiership tie last Sunday.
These shameful and naive hooligans wanted their team . . . correction . . . the green-shirted side to throw the game to deny Dynamos a chance of winning the league title.
And surely, just as true and justifiable that good will always triumph over evil, the determined Green Machine rose like a Phoenix to churn out what must surely rank as their best performance of the season!
It was admirable that the whole team told those few hooligans “to go to hell” as they went about their business with guile and ingenuity.
For where was the sanity in not fighting for a third place finish which carried a purse of $50 000, which they thoroughly deserved and received from the sponsors Castle Lager?
Listen to those senseless hooligans who claim to be their fans and throw the game and pick up a fourth prize purse of $45 000?
Not a chance, they declared!
Who would then pay them the $5 000 difference in the prize money if they had thrown the tie? Those stupid hooligans? Of course not!
Ivo vari kudya vachiguta kudzimba dzavo, asi voti maplayers ngaadyiwe nekuti vakazvonda Dynamos? (Those hooligans are living a comfortable life at home and yet they urge Caps United to throw the match simply because they hate Dynamos?)
In the name of Fair Play, the Caps United side that stood up to their sworn responsibility of fighting against all odds get my vote for the Fair Play Team of the Year.
Had it not been for the amazing acrobatics of Caps United keeper, Tafadzwa “Dubz” Dube, Kauya Katuruturu could have emulated that magnificent Black Rhinos side of 1984, who won the top crown in their first year in the top flight.
In the same breadth, I would like to salute Dynamos and ZPC Kariba for turning the just-ended Premiership race into one of the most exciting we have ever witnessed.
I’m sure Kallisto “Manabhun” Pasuwa (if he reconsiders his decision to quit) and Saul “Madzibaba” Chaminuka and their troops will thrill us again next season.
* * *
Sadly, this is my last column in your favourite family weekly newspaper. It has been necessitated by circumstances beyond my control.
It was a wonderful communication link with a lot of fans from in and outside the country and I really enjoyed hearing from you via the e-mail and WhatsApp forums.
I do most certainly hope that you will continue interacting with me and of course, I will still be able to chat to you through radio and TV.
Oh, by the way, I’m also starting work on a book about . . . yes, you guessed it: the history of Zimbabwe football!
I will be helped on this project by a soccer fanatic and research specialist, Lloyd Masunda.
I can assure you that the voluminous project will trace our game from the early 1900s, when the so-called Pioneer Column invaded our land from South Africa.
I will also be talking to a lot of yesteryear, current and promising stars to find out their thoughts and ambitions.
So, once again, thank you very much for the overwhelming support and feedback over the past six months and I look forward to meeting and chatting with you as usual at our stadiums.
Remember to take care of your loved ones and each other.
It’s bye bye.
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