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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
GROWING up in Mabvuku, the late Joe “Kode” Mugabe always wanted to become a professional footballer.
But his small stature sometimes discouraged his parents from backing their son’s dream.
The parents would later share this with one of the luminaries of the game, former Warriors and CAPS United ’keeper, Brenna Msiska.
Msiska’s advise was that they should take Mugabe to the CAPS United juniors.
Mugabe, who died in Reading, England, on Sunday morning, quickly rose through the ranks and graduated into the senior CAPS United team around 1988.
His parents would once again make the short trip from New Mabvuku to John Tapedza Street in Old Mabvuku, where they literally surrendered their son to Msiska, who he had joined the CAPS United’s senior team fold.
“When we talk of football perfectionism, (Joe) Mugabe is definitely one of the players who should be mentioned. He was a player and a half,” said Msiska.
“I still remember, I was living in Old Mabvuku, while he grew up in New Mabvuku.
“He grew up in the CAPS United juniors and rose through the ranks until he was named the captain of the club.
“When he was drafted into the team’s reserve side, his parents visited our residence, along John Tapedza Street, near Mabvuku Grounds, popularly known as Number One Grounds.
“They literally surrendered him to me. I was still a player in the late 1980s, but his parents, somehow, decided to give me responsibility to look after the young talent.
“We would go to and from training everyday and share notes along the way.
“Being one of the first top-flight players to come out of Mabvuku, I was an inspiration to many players and Mugabe’s parents believed I would be able to provide guidance to their son.’’
Msiska said he battled hard to be an exemplary figure.
“Somehow, I should admit that he, together with his parents, contributed immensely to shaping my own character,’’ he said.
“Imagine seeing yourself, just as a footballer, and all of a sudden a whole family comes to you to say we look up to you, and we are actually giving you our boy.
“We want you to shape him into the best player he can be, since you have seen it all.
“That transformed my character and the other players, who grew up in Mabvuku would also come to me, asking for guidance.
“After graduating into the senior team, Joe would always ask me about his performances.
“I would be frank with him in return, and he vastly improved within a short period of time. That was Joe Mugabe for you.” Even after Mugabe became one of the best players, in team, he still retained respect for Msiska.
“In 1995, when Anthony Kambani and myself were left with the responsibility to lead the team following the departure of Freddy Mkwesha, we introduced a new philosophy,’’ said Msiska.
“Mugabe was one of the most vocal players. He would say ‘You guys are making us run hard and we hope that will give us a league title.’
“I was a player-coach and our relationship had not changed, we would still be on the same lift to and from Mabvuku, together with Clever Muzuva.’’
Msiska said some of the most memorable moments came when they played at the Number One Grounds during off-seasons.
“We would play social football at Number One Grounds and people would flock to the stadium just to see Joe Mugabe and, of course me in action,’’ he said.
“It was such a spectacle.
“Joe will be greatly missed, not only in Mabvuku, but throughout the country.”
The arrival of the late Steve “The Dude” Kwashi, who roped in no-nonsense fitness trainer, Temba Mliswa, brought in a tougher training regime. Mugabe went on to become an integral part of the team that finally won CAPS United’s first Premiership title, after Independence, in 1996.
Msiska had left mid-stream during that campaign to join Black Aces.
In Mabvuku, Mugabe inspired a lot of players, who came after him.
Usman Misi, Robson Masauso, Irvine Tinarwo, Simon Choenda, Sageby Sandaka, Benson Maglasi, Godknows Mangani and France-based Marshall Munetsi, are some of the players, who were inspired by the legend.
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