Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
RECREATIONAL drugs are threatening the careers and lives of most footballers and ex-Highlanders’ winger Gift Lunga Jnr has called for massive awareness to change the course and focus of the present crop of players.
Better known as Thebe during his playing days, Lunga also had some brushes with the law and was at one time arrested while awaiting to report for camp with Highlanders, as part of the trailblazing Bosso squad that won four championships at the turn of the millennium.
On the fateful day, Lunga, who couldn’t recall which match they were preparing for, said he was “relaxing” with some of his friends from G-square in Mzilikazi when cops pounced on them.
Thebe is adamant he wasn’t puffing and passing weed, saying his friends, who ran away when they saw the police, were the ones doing so.
He regrets not addressing rumours that he always played under the influence of dagga.
“My heart bleeds when I see some of the talented youngsters just throwing away their future to drugs, especially now during the Covid-19 lockdown when there are no activities and youngsters have idle time on their hands. These young people should get their act together because life is hard,” said Lunga.
“I think maybe these youngsters lack role models. Maybe we are also letting them down as role models.
“We have to talk about these ills that affect our society. During our time it was dagga abuse, but now there are pills, cough mixtures and so on. Let’s stand together and address this drug abuse before it wipes out our talented youngsters,” he said.
Now the development coach at Bulawayo City FC, Lunga has developed a strong passion for junior players.
He spent six years as a development coach at Highlanders before moving to Victoria Falls-based First Division side Mosi Rovers to enhance his career last year. He then quit to take up is present role.
Some of the players that Lunga coached in junior ranks at Bosso include winger Godfrey Makaruse, striker McCarthy Dube, Prince Dube, who is now a goalkeeper at Hwange, and left-back Mbongeni Ndlovu.
“I had to move away from Highlanders to avoid being in a comfort zone. I spent six years with Highlanders juniors. I coached the Under-16s in the first two years and then Under-18s for four years before leaving for Mosi Rovers. Leaving Highlanders wasn’t about monetary issues, but it was a decision I took to grow as a coach. You never know, maybe one day I’ll return to Bosso because I’m a person who doesn’t burn bridges,” said Lunga.
Thebe is a Caf C coaching badge holder which he attained in 2015.
Just like his former teammate Joel Luphahla, Lunga believes that as former players with interest in coaching, they must take up jobs outside Bosso for them to develop into better gaffers.
A product of Zimbabwe Saints juniors, Lunga was lured to Bosso by revered juniors coach Ali ‘Baba’ Dube after one league game against Bosso in which he gave the late Lenny Gwata a torrid time.
He left Bosso for Phinda Mzala, a club that had been formed by former national team coach Charles Mhlauri before returning as a first team player.
“As a youngster, when we heard about Phinda Mzala we went there with Bekithemba Ndlovu and Lindani ‘Maradona’ Karayiro as juniors to play in Division One.
“We returned to Bosso in 1997, the year Siza Khoza graduated into the first team. Then, we were coached by Madinda Ndlovu and we developed into a strong side that won four Championships in a row from the 1998-99 season to 2002. That’s the period I treasure up to today,” he said.
The winning mentality that the trailblazers, who included Thulani ‘Biya’ Ncube, Amon Chimbalanga, Dazzy Kapenya, Joel Ngodzo, Blessing Gumiso, Zenzo Moyo and Thabani Masawi, among others, drove Thebe.
The ecstatic Bosso followers that packed Barbourfields Stadium, creating an intimidating atmosphere for visiting teams, also spurred Lunga and his teammates on.
“We used to camp at California Hotel (Highlanders’ property) in Luveve and on Sunday morning, we would see Bosso supporters already in party mood.
“By the time we got to the stadium to a fully packed arena, it was only victory in our minds. We couldn’t disappoint our loyal fans who truly made home advantage count,” he recalls.
What really happened inside Bosso camps?
“Camps varied. They changed when we were preparing for big games against Dynamos, AmaZulu or Zimbabwe Saints. For those high profile games, we would go into camp on Friday on the outskirts of Bulawayo. For other matches, we reported for camp on Saturday at 5pm. After that we had supper and team talks were on Sunday morning.
“On the eve of the match we killed time by gambling and those who would have lost their camping allowances rest assured will give their best on match day because they wanted to make up through winning bonuses. In a way, you’ll say that also inspired guys to give their all,” said Lunga.
The former Bosso star, who was known for being aggressive and his career threatening tackles, also spoke about his playing style.
“I started off as a midfielder, your typical Number 10. Rahman Gumbo then changed me to a left-back and that gave me room to manoeuvre from the back. I think I enjoyed most being a left-back than a midfielder,” he says.
“About my aggression, maybe people might understand now that it wasn’t my intention to hurt others. I was a fighter and didn’t want to be easily gotten past.
“Even on the road accidents happen and those clashes were by accident.”
He says the only players he hurt were Taboniswa Ncube of Hwange and Caps United’s Gary Mashoko.
“Some say I injured Desmond Maringwa and Samson Choruwa, but that isn’t true,” he protested.
He said his game almost suffered when Highlanders signed Mubariki Chisoni.
“Before the arrival of Mamba (Chisoni), I was the first choice and never had a challenge, but his arrival saw me being relegated to the bench,” he said.
“Mamba was young and fresh. On tough opponents, Edward Sadomba and Clemence Matawu gave me torrid times. Those are the players who after a match I’d go home and take a long rest because they were very competitive. Some like Eddie Mashiri and Samson Choruwa were tough, but to me they were lightweights compared to Sadomba and Matawu.”
In 2006, Lunga left Bosso for Caps United on a three-year contract, reuniting with Mhlauri. That was just a year after Highlanders and Caps United toured the United Kingdom.
“The tour to UK was fun, we met people we last met a long time ago. I regret coming back as I should have stayed in the UK. I remember then my wife was pregnant with Junior and I used my allowances to buy preparation for my wife.
“I gave Zephania Ngodzo all the items so that he brings them home. My friend Pabo had already organised a job for me, but when I called my wife to tell her I’m staying in UK, she begged me to return home. Now when I look back, that was the worst decision I ever made,” he said.
His son Junior also plays football and Thebe has been telling him not to ride on his dad’s glory, but make a name for himself.
On Bosso’s barren league championship spell, Lunga said:
“Highlanders have been assembling good squads, but they come short in terms of motivation compared to other teams like FC Platinum and Chicken Inn, who have money.” — @ZililoR
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