The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda
IT is fair to say there is a new kid on the block that is dominating the local football transfer market.
They have brokered most of the big moves during the current Castle Lager Premier Soccer League pre-season window.
Currently, they have over 50 players and 20 coaches from 10 different countries on their books.
TKT Sports Agency, which is owned by 25-year-old Trust Nyambiya, handles a number of high-profile players.
It has rocked an industry that has traditionally been dominated by top agents and managers such as Gibson Mahachi and George Deda.
The 2023 pre-season is in full swing and all the 18 Premier Soccer League clubs are busy making touch-ups to their squads.
Some, for example, Dynamos, are seemingly overhauling their squads, having offloaded 13 players and bringing in both youth and experience, as new coach Herbert Maruwa tries to build a team in his own image.
Three top players who joined DeMbare in January – famous twins Kevin and Elvis Moyo, as well as striker Nyasha Chintuli — are managed by TKT Sports Agency, which was founded in 2018.
Dynamos skipper Frank Makarati and striker Tatenda Makanda were already managed by the same agency.
“I am someone who is learning from those who have been there before us.
“The mission is to change the lives of the less privileged through sport and to identify talent from the rural areas,” Nyambiya told The Sunday Mail Sport in a wide-ranging interview last week.
Ralph Kawondera — the 2019 Soccer Star of the Year runner-up, who recently switched from DeMbare to Manica Diamonds — is also under the axis of the fledgling agency.
The other players include former national Under-23 striker Thomas “Rihanna” Chideu, veteran midfielder Thabani Kamusoko, Walter Mukanga, Tichaona Chipunza, former Bulawayo City player Jacob Mloi and Mbongeni Ndlovu of Highlanders.
Several Zambian and West African players are also under this stable, and so are former Castle Lager Premier Soccer League coaches Taurai Mangwiro and Mandla “Lulu” Mpofu.
The two gaffers are now coaching in the Botswana Premier League, courtesy of Nyambiya’s vast network.
Mangwiro is at Orapa United, while Mpofu is in charge of Masiatoka, who recently snapped ex-Bulawayo City player Mloi.
“All I want is to find and present better opportunities for players in the region, so that they can make a proper career out of football.
“A career whose impact goes beyond the pitch,” added Nyambiya.
“I want to enable players to take full care of their business on the pitch so that they don’t worry about anything off it. I want to help them attain optimal performances when playing.”
Peanuts
While millions of pounds have been splashed so far in the English Premier League January window, local clubs are paying meagre amounts.
A source says some of the players who joined Dynamos this January were paid an average of US$5 000 in signing-on fees for two-year contracts.
Although mine-owned clubs like FC Platinum, Manica Diamonds and Ngezi Platinum Stars have the financial muscle to pay better amounts, most clubs in the Premier Soccer League offer next to nothing.
The Premier Soccer League is also yet to reach a stage where transfer amounts are revealed to the public as is done in Europe and South Africa.
In Europe, they even regularly reveal values of their top-flight clubs.
Manchester United were last week announced as the most valuable club in the English Premier League by Sportico, with a value of £4,8 billion.
Liverpool (£3,8 billion) are second, with defending champions Manchester City sitting third with a valuation of £3,5 billion.
Arsenal (£2,9 billion) and Chelsea (£2,8 billion pounds) complete the Premier League’s top five most valuable clubs.
Arsenal recently signed Belgian winger Leandro Trossard from Brighton on a £21 million deal.
The log leaders also completed a £27 million deal with Spezia for defender Jakub Kiwior.
Strangely, these are regarded as relatively low fees in the Premier League.
Closer to home, some players in the South African Premiership cost as much as R10 million. Mamelodi Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile is the most valuable player in the DStv Premiership.
This is according to Transfernarkt, a reputable German-based website owned by Axel Springer SE that provides footballing information such as scores, results, statistics, transfer news and fixtures.
They have Shalulile valued at €2 million.
Local players can only dream of such figures.
“I strongly feel, in Zimbabwe, our players are not valued as much as they are supposed to be.
“The value attached to players is not as much as it should be, and I am working towards correcting that anomaly,” says Nyambiya.
FIFA league ranks, which are mostly dependent on local clubs’ performances in Africa, affect the value of players, but Zimbabwean clubs are currently out of these competitions because the country is suspended by FIFA.
Shifting bases
Nevertheless, players continue to switch teams, with Black Rhinos and Manica Diamonds among the busiest.
Chauya Chipembere have welcomed a number of players from their sister clubs.
Sylvester Munhira, Brian Mukucha and Prince Mutasa have joined Stanford Mtizwa’s side from Cranborne Bullets.
Nelson Mwasanga (Chapungu), Shelton Mhaka and Clive Kufaandiuyi (Tongogara), Garikayi Dematsika (Black Rhinos juniors) and Gift Saunyama (Herentals) have followed suit.
Black Rhinos have also signed Tatenda Mataya, who was discovered at the BG Sniper Choto Football Tournament, which is held in Hwedza.
Douglas Mbewe and Kevin Chiripawako are back home from a loan stint at Cranborne.
“Also, quite a number of our players who went for military training have re-joined, and these include Kudakwashe Nyakudanga, Tatenda Muchisa, Sairos Chikwerengwe, Valentine Katsande, Kumbirai Katsande, Pride “Neymar” Mukombwe, Nigel Gezani, Marcus Mapunhure and Malvin Chikema,” said Mtizwa.
Newly promoted side Simba Bhora are almost turning into a DeMbare “lite” after welcoming a number of personalities who trace their roots to the football giants.
Partson Jaure and Keith Murera have followed coach Tonderai Ndiraya at Simba Bhora, who are also now under the chairmanship of former Dynamos boss Isaiah Mupfurutsa.
Utility player Blessing “Bisto” Moyo is also now in Shamva. Fellow Premiership newboys Green Fuel have overhauled their squad.
Lloyd Mutasa has signed at least 15 new players, including two Ghanaians.
The former Highlanders duo of Bukhosi Sibanda and Keith Mavhunga is now based in Chisumbanje.
Collins Dhuwa, Xolisani Moyo (both former Manica Diamonds), former national team players Eric Chipeta and Honest Moyo, as well as the ex-Bulawayo Chiefs pair of MacClive Phiri and keeper David Bizabani, are also now at Green Fuel.
Manica Diamonds might have lost the key duo of Dhuwa and Moyo, but the Gem Boys have made some astute signings of their own.
Gifted linkman Brett Amidu, Farai Banda and the former Dynamos pair of Trevor Mavhunga and Kawondera have joined Manica Diamonds.
Donald Ngoma and Gerald Bhero, both ex-Triangle United players, have joined the Jairos Tapera-coached side, and the same goes for Panashe Mutasa, who turned out for the relegated Tenax.
Ngezi Platinum Stars, who offloaded truant star Denver Mukamba, have added forwards Malvin Gaki from Chicken Inn and Claude “Pokello” Mapako, who starred for Green Fuel in the Eastern Region last season.
Highly rated former Black Rhinos defender Gareth Madhake has also joined Ngezi Platinum Stars, who are in Victoria Falls for their pre-season.
Chicken Inn, who finished second last year, have welcomed back striker Obriel Chirinda.
Callum English-Brown is also now at the Gamecocks.
No club has disclosed the amounts paid to their new signings.
“With the current economic situation in the country, I don’t think it’s wise for a club to reveal that they have bought a player for such an amount.
“Our clubs do not have sponsorship packages or a lot of money, so, if they reveal that player X has been paid US$10 000, there will be a stampede and all the players will demand such. “It will divide the camp,” says Nyambiya.
“If you look at South African clubs, they are very profitable and have grants that are provided to them.
“So, here, clubs do not have the capacity to bid for players.
“But clubs should also stretch their revenue avenues. If you look at clubs like Simba of Tanzania, they rake in a lot of money through social media.
“Here we have clubs with huge followings, and they should be doing the same.”
Twitter: @LangtonGuraz
