The Sunday Mail
Sports Editor
CAPE Town City Football Club chairperson John Comitis believes Zimbabwe youth soccer international Douglas Mapfumo has the potential to develop into a highly regarded forward in the mould of Chelsea hitman Romelu Lukaku.
Mapfumo, who is playing in the South African DStv Premiership for the first time, has got off to a promising start at the Citizens.
He made his debut for the club, albeit in a cameo role, in their 2-1 MTN8 quarter-final win over Benni McCarthy’s AmaZulu.
The 21-year-old graduate of Legends Academy in Harare had not played in the elite league in Zimbabwe before he moved to South Africa, where his first port of call was an attachment at Bidvest Wits.
Although the bustling player is still to get off the mark in terms of scoring, both his coach Eric Tinkler and club chairperson Comitis have seen enough to believe in his qualities from the season he was on loan at GladAfrica Championship outfit Cape Umoya last season.
Comitis — a veteran administrator who has worked with various players from Zimbabwe such as Edelbert Dinha, Willard Katsande, Khama Billiat and the late Edzai Kasinauyo — spoke to The Sunday Mail Sport on why they had chosen to sign the largely inexperienced player who had played in youth leagues with Legends Academy for much of his fledgling career.
“He has matured and is getting game time.
“For us to take a foreign spot for a player that is not established shows our clear belief as to what we have here in Douglas.
“I would liken him to a Lukaku in the making,’’ he said.
The former chair of Ajax Cape Town FC also spoke highly of local players and gave the strongest hint possible that the Citizens would continue to scout for players north of the Limpopo.
“Zimbabwe always produces quality attacking players and strikers,’’ Comitis said.
Some of the players that worked with him include FC Platinum gaffer Norman Mapeza, Wilfred Mugeyi and Archieford Gutu.
Despite receiving some glowing remarks from his chairperson, Mapfumo remains grounded.
Instead, he chose to pay tribute to Legends Academy and Cape Town City for providing him with platforms to showcase his talent. “I must say a huge thank you to coach Farai Dhliwayo of Legends Academy, my parents, Mr John Comitis of Cape Town City Football Club, coach Tinkler as well as my fans.
“If it wasn’t for them, all this wouldn’t have been possible, and praise be to the Almighty God for the talent to play soccer,’’ Mapfumo said.
“I am super grateful to be playing here, as you know Cape Town City FC is a big club with big ambitions and for them to show confidence in me, it’s a very huge boost and it’s an opportunity I will never let pass.
“Everyone here, from the fans, backroom staff, senior players, all the coaches and our chair Mr Comitis, welcomed me with open arms and that’s making me settle well.”
The player said the club’s senior players were assisting him find his feet.
“Senior players like Eielson Dove and Thabo Nodada are always encouraging me to keep on pushing hard.
“Well GladAfrica Championship is tough as the competition is high and that’s why you even see most Zimbabwean players are coming to play there, and look at Ishmael Wadi.
“He was called to the national team, which shows that it is a tough championship because every team and every player wants to be playing in the PSL, which is in the spotlight worldwide, and in the PSL the professionalism is out of this world, even the way you handle yourself in public changes, as you have to approach everything in a professional way because you are now a brand and you are representing a brand too.
“Please note that I am not saying there is no professionalism in GladAfrica Championship… it’s there too, but the PSL is way ahead.”
In his career path, Mapfumo also had a brief stint under respected Chippa United and ex-Bafana Bafana coach Gavin Hunt.
“Yes, I did spend some time at Bidvest before it was sold and coach Gavin Hunt taught me tactical discipline and made me believe in myself.
“Luckily, City was there to offer me a lifeline and I joined them, and I was sent on loan to Cape Umoya, where I learnt a lot about South African football under coach Roger De Sa.
“There, I was lucky to meet up with Erick Chipeta and Gabriel Nyoni, who made my stay way easier, so, yes, the loan move helped boost my confidence.”
He said he would always be grateful to Legends Academy and coach Dhliwayo, who at some point took him in when his parents moved to South Africa.
He is also inspired by Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat.
Musona actually plunged into the South African top-flight without playing in the domestic Premiership.
“It’s a great honour because even if you look at their careers, they came here very young and went on to make names for themselves, and I remember my first days at City, our chairperson gave me an example of them. He even showed me a picture of him and Khama at the airport the very day he arrived.
“I hope and pray that my football journey will be as good as theirs, even two steps ahead.
“I just hope I will get as much game time as possible because we have the AFCON coming up and its every player’s dream to be playing there, so I am pushing hard so that one day I will get a national team call-up,’’ said Mapfumo.
After the FIFA international break, Mapfumo will be hoping to help Cape Town City secure a place in the MTN8 final, having played a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the semi-final against Moroka Swallows.
They are currently third on the league log standings and among the seven early pacesetters who include Kaitano Tembo’s SuperSport United, champions Mamelodi Sundowns, Stellenbosch, Kaizer Chiefs, Chippa United and Moroka Swallows.
