The Sunday Mail
ON THE BALL with Charles Mabika
SOME readers completely missed my point in last week’s article when I nominated my finest-ever Warriors squad, including the two coaches.
Those fans misinterpreted the Warriors 18-man squad that I came up with as the most talented and skilful Zimbabwean players ever produced in the land.
It was not like that at all.
I simply stressed that I had picked those I felt had excelled in a Warriors jersey since Independence.
So, to illustrate my point, the 34-man outfit below is my choice for the most talented and skilful footballers that I was privy to watch and those that I read and was told about by my elders.
Once again, it was such an arduous task because I had to leave out so many other entertainers par-excellence, who thrilled or are still exciting fans in and outside the country.
That “crème de la crème” list is headed by former Dynamos’ mercurial forward, George “The Mastermind’’ Shaya, who won the Castle Soccer Star of the Year award a record five times and is widely regarded as the finest-ever player to come out of the country.
Goalkeepers
Rob Jordan (Salisbury Callies); Bruce Grobbelaar (Salisbury Callies/Highlanders); Posani Sibanda (Wankie); Japhet M’parutsa (Dynamos/Black Rhinos).
Defenders
Sunday Chidzambwa, Oliver Kateya (Dynamos); Ephram Moloi (Zimbabwe Saints); Alexander Maseko, Mercedes Sibanda (Highlanders); Daniel Chikanda (Sables); Billy Sharman (Chibuku Shumba); Amos Rendo (Wankie).
Midfielders
Topsy Robertson (Chibuku Shumba); William Sibanda (Zimbabwe Saints); Archieford Chimutanda (Black Aces/Dynamos); Stanford M’tizwa (Caps United/Black Rhinos); Benjamin Nkonjera (Highlanders/ Amazulu); Shaw Handriade (Dynamos); Joel Shambo (Caps United); Willard Mashinkila-Kumalo (Highlanders); Norman Mapeza (Darryn T/Galatasaray).
Forwards
George Shaya (Dynamos); Freddy Gotora (Yellow Peril); Peter Nyama (Chibuku Shumba); Paul Tsumbe (St Paul’s); Shacky Tauro (Caps United); Stanley Ndunduma (Caps United/Black Rhinos); Moses Chunga, Edward Katsvere (Dynamos); Madinda, Adam and Peter Ndlovu (Highlanders); Benjani Mwaruwari (FC Auxerre/Portsmouth/ Manchester City); Knowledge Musona (Kaizer Chiefs/TSG Hoffenheim.)
* * *
A three-wicket victory for the Zimbabwe national cricket side over mighty Australia, in the ODI triangular series match last weekend, howzat for a morale-boosting triumph for our sport?
The massive celebrations that engulfed the whole nation after this breathtaking performance by our guys simply emphasised that anything is possible in the world of sport.
So why has our football world fallen from grace when our national and club sides used to rip open the jugular veins of some of the big football bodies around the continent and the world?
If everybody is united for a common purpose, there is nothing that can stop our football from regaining its previous Trojan horse spirit.
Our football leaders, players, fans and, of course, the media, have all chosen to put on their clanking armour and engage in personality battles instead of coming together as one for the good of our beloved game.
The “F” word – “Factionalism” – is now the operative “007 Mission” awash in national and club football affairs, in the media circles, amongst playing personnel and supporters in general.
The only people that have stood by this game unreservedly have been our “all-weather friends” like Delta Beverages, Mbada Diamonds, NetOne, BancABC and the Nyaradzo Group.
These sponsors have borne the brunt of seeing the game they support most being battered to a pulp by never-ending and mud-slinging fiascos in the football circus.
Yes, of course, the local cricket world does have its share of problems but when the ODI triangular series came to town, they all put all those differences aside and marched forward to make sure that the game of cricket was the eventual winner.
In the years gone by, the whole football fraternity used to join hands for the good of the game.
That’s why the senior national sides were just a whisker away from qualifying for the 1970 and 1994 World Cup finals.
That’s why Dynamos reached the final of the 1998 African Champions League.
That’s why former Warriors head coach, Shepherd Murape, once topped a 43-man international coaching course held in Italy back in 1985, which included the likes of the late Sir Bobby Robson, current Manchester United manager, Louis Van Gaal and former Arsenal’s manager, Don Howe.
So all of you out there who claim to be true and passionate lovers of the country’s number one sport, get off your high horses and move on to the real business of making this football-mad country proud once again!
Till next week, remember to take care of your loved ones and each other. It’s bye-bye for now.
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