“If I wasn’t a footballer I would have liked to be a teacher’’ – ex-Bosso defender

Fungai Muderere

FORMER Highlanders defender, Anzilom “Malume” Ndlovu claims he would have been a teacher if he had not made it in professional football.

Boasting five Ordinary Level subjects that include English, Science, Geography, Woodwork and Ndebele, Ndlovu a former Sobukhazi High School pupil regrets the year that Mathematics was made a requirement for one to enrol at local primary teachers colleges.

“I had a soft spot to become a teacher, but I’m now a football coach, which is more or less the same. The reason why I did not immediately enrol at a local teachers’ college is that I did not have Mathematics. I first attained my three Ordinary Level subjects at Sobukhazi High School in 1996 and I got my other two subjects in 1997 after supplementing. I was unfortunate that I failed Mathematics,” said the soft spoken Ndlovu.

He added: “I used the money to write other subjects from my efforts of playing in Highlanders Under 19 and at the club’s reserve side. All I can say is, teaching is my passion, but as you grow old, situations you come across force you to look elsewhere and even consider venturing into business.”
Ndlovu, a holder of a Level Four Coaching certificate, which he attained in 2015, is currently employed as Bulawayo

Chiefs developmental side coach. It is at Bulawayo Chiefs that he has worked hand in glove with the team’s first team mentor, Thulani “Thuts” Sibanda.
Ndlovu (45) graduated to Bosso’s first team in 1999 and he boasts four Premier Soccer League championship medals.

“I must say competition in the Highlanders first team was very stiff as I had to contend for starting places with the likes of Thulani “Biya” Ncube, Bekithemba Ndlovu, Simon Sibanda, Abraham Mbambo and Melusi Sibanda. I won my first championship medal with Bosso in 1999, in the year 2000, I was loaned to Chapungu. I got my second, third and fourth championship medals in 2001, 2002 and 2006 respectively,” he said.

Also fondly known as Anze during his playing days, Ndlovu, is a widower, teetotaller and a father of two boys Anzilom Junior (20) and Ashley (12). He lost his wife Chipo Ndlovu in 2018.