Chronicle Editor
Sports Reporter
Like many Zimbabwean rural communities, Shamva has experienced several false starts when it comes to top tier football.
But the latest attempt to bring the game to the “Golden City” promises to be very different, thanks to a Northern Region League (NRL) “Yuppie like” upstart to the world of football: Simba Ndoro.
In 2020, the NRL welcomes Ndoro’s Simba Bhora Football Club to the fold as Shamva takes another shot at sustaining a successful team in a sport the locals call “Buju Bhora” while fanatically and fondly singing “Go Buju Go”.
The list of defunct soccer clubs in the region includes a handful of sides from the enclave and Bindura such as Trojan Stars, Mushowani as well as iconic former Premier Soccer League team Mwana Africa, who once had the late Highlanders and “Dream Team” legend, Willard Khumalo as the “Guvnor”.
Simba Bhora expect to begin life as an NRL side in Shamva at their very own stadium, which has been redeveloped and renamed Wadzanai Stadium. It was once home to an incarnate of Simba Bhora, Simba Stars as well as other teams from the area, including former PSL franchise Mushowani before they moved to Harare and then Bindura’s Trojan Stadium.
The stadium development is expected to cost about ZWL800 000 (US$40 000) and will have many of modern football stadia amenities like a gym, top class dressing rooms and media centre. The stadium is expected to seat at least 5 000 fans with room for expansion as the club’s fan base continues to grow. The turf has already been laid, a borehole installed and the first round of the 2020 Division One campaign is the launch pad of the new stadium.
While Simba Bhora might be different to other teams in the NRL, to survive it must be different to previous teams in Shamva. Shamva-born entrepreneur Ndoro popularly known as “Buju” by the club’s fans will help with this — as will Taurai Janhi the Secretary General, along with the businessman’s wife, Tonderai who is a passionate follower of her husband’s club.
Brand Buju will play a huge role, and is one of the reasons this club — who have already played Harare giants, Dynamos and Caps United in pre-season games should be unique. They may only be playing their first NRL game in 2020 but it could be said the club’s story began years ago as an idea that grew into Simba Bhora.
Behind the headlines of Ndoro’s investment in football lay a cause that compelled the 42-year-old Caps United fan to buy a Mashonaland West Province Division Two franchise.
Ndoro and his wife thus began a journey to Simba Bhora Football Club which was the destination. In the shape of its owner the club already has a unique selling point which could attract some of the game’s biggest names in the future.
The ambitious businessman is not just a big-name owner, but seems well on his way to turning his project into a success. In short, the Shamva franchise has a name behind it that could usher them into local football history books as the first club to play in a PSL match IN Shamva!
No games played but a fanatical following Simba Bhora have not yet played a single competitive NRL game but to look at their fast-growing fanbase and the hordes attending their pre-season friendlies — you would not know it.
This might sound reasonable enough, but this was a “mere” Division Two side, being backed from the sidelines by ultras with banners, flags, drums and all. And to boot, this rural team has somehow managed to attract Yuppies who have brought a breath of fresh air to a local football with flashy cars like Bentleys, BMW X6, various models of Mercedes Benz and Range Rovers becoming an ever present spectacle at matches involving Simba Bhora.
This new but most welcome edition to the world of Zimbabwean football has added colour to the mostly bland sports scene. With Simba Bhora, the local footie is suddenly able to attract crowds normally associated with sporting codes like cricket, rugby and golf. Simba Bhora matches could very well mirror sporting events like South Africa’s Durban July!
“We wanted to be able to provide our fans something unique,” says club owner and president Ndoro.
“Simba Bhora is not just Shamva’s team; it is Mashonaland West’s team. Their passion, diversity and commitment since day one has been a driving force in helping this dream become a reality.”
Head coach Authur Thuthani, a veteran coach, has been similarly impressed with what he has seen.
“It’s incredible that our supporters travelled so many kilometres to support us in a friendly,” Thuthani said following a 2-0 pre-season defeat to Premier League side Caps United last weekend.
“It’s wonderful. Imagine what our home opener in the NRL is going to be like! Especially if we play in Shamva,” Thuthani said.
Its “gure” supporters group already has a collection of songs and dance routines that have many awestruck!
“We’ve been waiting for this team since forever,” says a member of the “gure” dancers.
Their squad currently contains several highly rated young players including goalkeeper Aaron “Ndunge” Nechironge, brothers Quality and Roland Kangadze, exciting playmaker Tawananyasha “MaFruits” Zidoro, one of the outstanding young players at the club who had a spell at FC Platinum and left-back Marshet Jakarasi.
Online Reporter