admin
This was said by the Zimbabwe Players’ Agents Association chairman and former Highlanders committee member Omega Sibanda during an end of year party for the legends at Archers Sports Club on Monday.
The former players organised a get- together to reflect after the tragic passing on of one of their own, Adam “Adamski” Ndlovu in a horrific car crash a few kilometres outside the resort town of Victoria Falls on 16 December.
The accident also claimed the life of 24-year-old female passenger Nomqhele Tshili and left Adam’s younger brother, the legendary Peter Ndlovu, badly injured.
“You can not all be coaches, gentlemen. Let us take up administrative positions at the club and even in Zifa. The problem is that all of you want to be coaches or managers at Highlanders but that is impossible,” said Sibanda.
He said for the former players’ cause to be heard, they need to be united and have one vision, that of pushing Highlanders’ cause.
“Do not have different objectives as former Highlanders players and if you remain united, your objectives will be achieved,” said Sibanda.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu organised the legends’ meeting.
His gesture towards meeting the funeral expenses for Adam as well as paying for injured Peter’s medical bills was greatly appreciated by the former players who described him as someone they can always lean on at any given time.
“What Minister Mpofu did for us during our grieving moment is simply hard to believe. He went out of his way and assisted us in a way that up to now we still cannot believe it.
“When this disaster struck us, we went to him as one of the leaders from this region and he never disappointed us,” said the former Highlanders Football Club Players’ Association chairman, Tito Paketh.
Paketh said as legends they had to lean on someone like Mpofu because they realised that his heart and soul was with the people.
“Mpofu was very frank with us and I believe he is still frank that the door is open to us, whenever we have problems we must feel free to contact him. As former Highlanders players, we really appreciate what Mpofu did from the moment this terrible thing hit us.
“He has been there and while he is a family friend to the Ndlovus, to us he is also our friend now because of what he did,” said Paketh.
Adam was laid to rest at Lady Stanley Cemetery on Saturday afternoon and thousands of mourners from all walks of life attended the burial.
On Saturday, during a church service for Adam at the Amphitheatre, Mpofu assured mourners that as long as he was there, Highlanders would never collapse.
“Some of our colleagues in Government and the party in Harare have long been boasting that Dynamos will never collapse as long as they are there.
“I want them to know here and now that as long as people like us are there, Highlanders will never collapse, I will make sure that does not happen,” said Mpofu, to thunderous applause from the mourners who included football legends from across the country.
Highlanders is in the red to the tune of $400 000.
Mpofu has previously helped Highlanders settle some of its bills.
The Minister challenged his colleagues in Government to come up with a system that will honour sporting heroes and heroines instead of waiting for a committee made up of few people to decide who should be a hero or heroine.
“We have been reading in the press about people saying whatever they want about Ndlovu’s hero status, people talking about things and people they totally have no idea of.
“Let it be known that this man lying lifeless in front of us was a true unifier and your presence today has actually made him a true hero. As politicians, Adam has brought us together and if he was to wake up now, I am sure we as politicians would leave this place with unity cards,” said Mpofu.
Online Reporter