Fungai Muderere
THIRTY-TWO years ago, before the birth of what is now known as the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League, a virtually unknown football fan called out the name of a yesteryear soccer great in the streets of Harare just to say hello.
What followed next was a kind gesture of a celebrity football player handing over a Highlanders jersey to the excited fan and driving off in a Peugeot 504 in the company of teammates.
That player was Alexander “Cool Ruler” Maseko. The soccer fan is Joshua Chiumba, fondly known as Paraffin in Bulawayo’s high density suburb of Cowdray Park.
Today, Chiumba, a former National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) employee, counts himself as one of the few fans that boasts of an original old Highlanders jersey of the 1980s era courtesy of the altruism of ex Highlanders and Dream Team defender Maseko.
“It’s a number eight jersey inscribed Maseko, he gave it to me in 1988 when I was only 24 years old. This was after I had called out his name when many could not recognise him in a Peugeot 504 that was ferrying other football players,” said Chiumba.
Not many football fans, especially the younger generation, can claim to have watched Maseko, the late Willard Mashinkila Khumalo, David Phiri, Nhamo Shambira, Makheyi Nyathi, Simon Ncube, Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Adam “Adamski” Ndlovu, Thuthani Moyo, Nqobizitha Maenzanise, Fanuel Ncube, Benjamin Nkonjera, Joseph Tembo, Dumisani Ngulube, Roy Ngwenya, Roy Phiri, Cleopas Dlodlo, Morgan Phiri, Barry Daka and Ronnie Jowa illuminate Barbourfields Stadium and other venues in the country.
Owning an original memento worn by a Bosso player at that time, has remained a mere pipe dream for many.
Reached for a comment from his base in South Africa, an overjoyed Maseko said: “Posing for a photo with him (Chiumba) would have been super great. I’m overwhelmed, it’s rare for someone to keep a memory for that long. That means I meant a lot to him and vice versa. That is why I gave him the jersey. Those are the people who made us who we are. Salute.”
Chiumba, who amazingly has a soft spot for Zimbabwe’s football sworn nemesis Highlanders and Dynamos, said he usually puts on the Maseko keepsake when the Bulawayo football giants would be doing duty against other Premier Soccer League outfits except the Glamour Boys.
“I keep the jersey gift as my most prized possession. I usually put it on when Highlanders are playing against other teams except Dynamos. Actually, I support both Highlanders and Dynamos.
“Bosso is my second team but when the two teams are doing battle at Barbourfields Stadium, I don’t mind the result. In that regard, the best team of the day should win. If the two teams are playing at Rufaro Stadium, I always wish that DeMbare prevails just for the sake of their so-called seven million supporters,” he said.
Despite the fact that the Cool Ruler gave him a precious gift at such a tender age, when this writer was two years old, the die-hard Liverpool supporter, said the late nimble footed Bosso and Warriors midfielder Mashinkila, who was also fondly known as Nduna, would remain as his all-time favourite player.
Maseko runs Focus Sports Management that manages players’ careers. He recently took to Facebook to pay tribute to his departed former teammates at Bosso.
The list included a cross section of generations, some of whom were regulars, while others made cameo appearances. Among the players that Maseko paid tribute to was midfielder Titus Majola, who was brutally killed in a stabbing incident while trying to stop a fight in a Bulawayo night spot in 1989.
The Cool Ruler joined Highlanders in 1984 and broke into the first team the following year following an injury to legendary defender Douglas ‘British’ Mloyi.
Maseko briefly left Highlanders in 1988 to join Darryn Tornadoes after a job transfer to Harare. He rejoined Bosso in 1990 and went on to lift the league title that season. In 1991, he was bought by South African side Mamelodi Sundowns and played for them until 1996, winning the league title with the Brazilians in 1993.
“It’s a number eight jersey inscribed Maseko, he gave it to me in 1988 when I was only 24 years old. This was after I had called out his name when many could not recognise him in a Peugeot 504 that was ferrying other football players,” said Chiumba.
Not many football fans, especially the younger generation, can claim to have watched Maseko, the late Willard Mashinkila Khumalo, David Phiri, Nhamo Shambira, Makheyi Nyathi, Simon Ncube, Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda, Adam “Adamski” Ndlovu, Thuthani Moyo, Nqobizitha Maenzanise, Fanuel Ncube, Benjamin Nkonjera, Joseph Tembo, Dumisani Ngulube, Roy Ngwenya, Roy Phiri, Cleopas Dlodlo, Morgan Phiri, Barry Daka and Ronnie Jowa illuminate Barbourfields Stadium and other venues in the country.
Owning an original memento worn by a Bosso player at that time, has remained a mere pipe dream for many.
Reached for a comment from his base in South Africa, an overjoyed Maseko said: “Posing for a photo with him (Chiumba) would have been super great. I’m overwhelmed, it’s rare for someone to keep a memory for that long. That means I meant a lot to him and vice versa. That is why I gave him the jersey. Those are the people who made us who we are. Salute.”
Chiumba, who amazingly has a soft spot for Zimbabwe’s football sworn nemesis Highlanders and Dynamos, said he usually puts on the Maseko keepsake when the Bulawayo football giants would be doing duty against other Premier Soccer League outfits except the Glamour Boys.
“I keep the jersey gift as my most prized possession. I usually put it on when Highlanders are playing against other teams except Dynamos. Actually, I support both Highlanders and Dynamos.
“Bosso is my second team but when the two teams are doing battle at Barbourfields Stadium, I don’t mind the result. In that regard, the best team of the day should win. If the two teams are playing at Rufaro Stadium, I always wish that DeMbare prevails just for the sake of their so-called seven million supporters,” he said.
Despite the fact that the Cool Ruler gave him a precious gift at such a tender age, when this writer was two years old, the die-hard Liverpool supporter, said the late nimble footed Bosso and Warriors midfielder Mashinkila, who was also fondly known as Nduna, would remain as his all-time favourite player.
Maseko runs Focus Sports Management that manages players’ careers. He recently took to Facebook to pay tribute to his departed former teammates at Bosso.
The list included a cross section of generations, some of whom were regulars, while others made cameo appearances. Among the players that Maseko paid tribute to was midfielder Titus Majola, who was brutally killed in a stabbing incident while trying to stop a fight in a Bulawayo night spot in 1989.
The Cool Ruler joined Highlanders in 1984 and broke into the first team the following year following an injury to legendary defender Douglas ‘British’ Mloyi.
Maseko briefly left Highlanders in 1988 to join Darryn Tornadoes after a job transfer to Harare. He rejoined Bosso in 1990 and went on to lift the league title that season. In 1991, he was bought by South African side Mamelodi Sundowns and played for them until 1996, winning the league title with the Brazilians in 1993.
