Chikwata’s Mai Maria dies

Lovemore Dube

ANDREW Kadengu one of Zimbabwe Saints’ architects of the 1970s success has died.

He was 72.

Kadengu died at Chinhoyi Hospital on Tuesday afternoon almost two months after suffering a stroke attack.

Francis Zimunya an elder with the Zimbabwe Footballers Trust confirmed that his long time ally died today.

He described Kadengu as having been a great player who worked hard for the development of the game after retiring.

“He was a very creative and versatile attacking player. He was very humble, disciplined and had great leadership qualities. I played with him on the opposing teams while I was with Black Aces FC and him at Zimbabwe Saints. We further on trained as coaches together when we did the Australian Elementary and Intermediate Coaching Courses that were conducted by Danny Maclenan.

“We then did the Zimbabweean Intermediate and Advanced courses as well as the CAF and Fifa Advanced Coaching courses before and lastly we did British International Football Association Coaching Badge together,” said Zimunya.

He is one of the few coaches who went to Brazil for a coaching course. But on his return he was underutilised despite a brief stint at Zimbabwe Saints and in Chinhoyi.

“He was a member of the ZIFA Coaches Association when I was its secretary. He coached a number of Clubs that included Trojan Mine FC. He also became a coaching instructor.

“He was a Christian and devout Catholic. His passing on is a great loss to Zimbabwe Football,” mourned Zimunya.

Kadengu joined Chikwata in the early 1970s and played as a left winger. So prominent was he that he got several national team call ups.

He was part of the Zimbabwe Saints team that won the Nyore Nyore Cup in 1974, the Chibuku Trophy 4-0 over Highlanders in 1976, the league and Cup double in 1977.

He retired in the late 1980s.