Chronicle Editor
Fungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
THE world’s most beautiful game, football has stood the test of time.
It has been graced by the presence of extra-ordinary talents, some of whom have left an indelible mark in the sport.
We have seen skilful players weave in and out of defences. We have seen set pieces experts rifle in precise freekicks. We have seen goal hunters prey on a vulnerable net.
Within its illustrious history, we have witnessed the mesmerising artistry of skilful players navigating their way through defences, the precision of set piece experts as they unfailingly find the back of the net and relentless pursuit of goals by lethal strikers. However, amid the glory, there have also been moments that sent shivers down our spines when the game revealed its darkest side through bone crushing tackles that left careers in ruins. So disturbing, sickening and horrific have been the tackles that have ended careers.
From snapped legs, swollen faces and shattered skulls, we have seen the whole kit and caboodle.
One such heart stopping incident occurred in late April deep in the modern day urbane settings of the United States of America (USA), when left-footed Warriors centreback Teenage Hadebe suffered a serious injury when he broke his leg with his ankle as well as his shin resulting in his right foot being plastered.
As a result, the lanky and towering Hadebe, who turns out for USA Major League Soccer outfit, Houston Dynamo, underwent a successful surgery in early May and was told that he will be on the sidelines for five to six months.
So nasty was the injury that it was revealed it was likely to see the Makokoba-bred ex-Kaizer Chiefs, Bantu Rovers and Chicken Inn defender being ruled out for the rest of the 2023 season which started on 25 February and ends on 21 October. In an interview from his base in USA, Hadebe, who last did duty for his club during their third round US Open Cup match against Tampa Bay Rowdies which they won 1-0 on 27 April said he was now up and about.
“I’m just keeping on there. It has been a lengthy recovery process. Things are slowly pointing to the good. I think I will be back on the field of play by the first week of October. I admit it has been a challenging period,” said Hadebe.
In the previous season, the utility defender that is fondly known as Manero to his close associates, sustained a leg injury that placed him on the sidelines for more than four weeks in the process missing five league matches.
The defender joined Houston Dynamo two years ago following his stellar performances at Turkish side Yeni Malatyaspor.
Online Reporter