The Sunday Mail
In 2010 Mapeza stood like a colossus in Monrovia, Liberia, where his gallant Warriors drew one all despite what sports journalists called “harsh conditions” in the West African country.
The ever-bungling zifa then had not given him a contract, but Mapeza had already started dividing fans and became a source that started many fights in beer halls, in the populous cities of Harare and Bulawayo.
It did not help that zifa, ever a comedy of errors, then made Madinda Ndlovu the coach of the Warriors for an international assignment in Mozambique.
A public outcry forced zifa to introduce what they called co-coaching with Madinda and Mapeza taking charge of the Warriors during a 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Cape Verde in Harare.
The Warriors drew 1-1 and the fans were sharply divided soon after, as many called for Mapeza to be the sole coach.
Reports had also surfaced that crevices were apparent in the Warriors’ camp in the build-up to the match with some players preferring Mapeza while others sided with Madinda.
Mapeza was to take a long sabbatical but remained a topical figure even on Dynamos fora where most advised that he should be given the mandate to coach the Glamour Boys.
Many feel Nomara, as they fondly call him, has never been given enough room to showcase his coaching abilities ever since he won the PSL title with Monomotapa in 2008.
He is back and in charge of an exciting FC Platinum, bracing for its second dance on the continental stage, the CAF Confederations Cup in which the platinum miners have been drawn to play Kenyan side Sofapaka in the preliminary round.
This is the chance for Nomara to really prove his mettle.
Nomara has always been a charismatic coach, more popular than even Kalisto Pasuwa, who won a record four straight league titles before unceremoniously leaving the Glamour Boys late last year.
Most have described him as the special one, the best local coach ever, but to me Nomara is no better than Charles Mhlauri, Joey Antipas or even Rahman Gumbo.
For all his coaching greatness bestowed upon him, Mapeza has only one league title to his name.
Maybe we confuse being somewhat handsome, charismatic and staying in Harare’s northern leafy suburb of Glen Lorne with football tactical genius.
His rise to stardom was marking out Brazilian legend Romario in a uefa Champions League match, and we are reminded of this day in day out by those who fight in his corner.
Typically, as a success-starved football nation, we cling on to those memories.
For God’s sake many Africans have played in that uefa competition.
In 2015, Nomara you have to prove to us, the doubting Thomasies, that you are the man, not winning the league title with a professionally run and stable FC Platinum will definitely be a failure.
This is the year in which Mapeza should prove to us that the fans who feel he deserves the throne of the Warriors head coach are right.
Africa beckons . . .?
FC Platinum had a trophy parade, Dynamos did not have. FC Platinum will be playing in Africa and Dynamos will be waiting for the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
Pasuwa is gone and Mapeza is still here with all the stability of a professionally run club.
Some have called him the Numero Uno of tactical football. Some, like us, doubt his credentials and so we take a front seat row as he goes into the African safari because we will judge him by the results.
I’m just worried that Mapeza, after his decorated sojourn in Europe, it is only this month that he has decided to do a CAF A licence.
I thought by now he should already have acquired uefa badges like George Mbwando did in Germany.
Come on, NOMARA, for a man who spent nine years in Europe from Sokot Pniewy in Poland, then your nomadic stay in Turkey from Galatasaray, Ankaragucu, Altay SK, Canakkale Dardanelspor, SV Ried, and Malatyaspor, indeed as a well-travelled man, you must by now have been a well-educated man in football.
Bring on Sofapaka, bring on Etoile Du Sahel, NOMARA is ready to slaughter them!!!
WALTER MUSONA “DEAD AND BURIED AT MANDAVA”
His rise to stardom was his brother Knowledge.
This is a boy who has been to Chelsea on a Copa Coca-Cola trial stint, went to Mamelodi Sundowns where he was told ‘‘stop wasting our time’’, then a sojourn to North African giants Esperance, albeit all in vain.
We just hope that Walter doesn’t become like all those galaxy of stars, yes you remember them, whose careers vanished just after joining the cash-rich FC Platinum.
We can only hope.
VaShagare is the founder of DeMbare DotComs and can be contacted on that Facebook page as well as the email [email protected]
