daniel chigunweDanai Chitakasha Special Correspondent
LEGEND has it that Majid Dhana, the late former Warriors and Arcadia United defender, was guided by a simple defending principle, “If you miss the ball, take the man!”
As we say in football parlance, “he took no prisoners…!” It is also claimed that he would shout, “take him halfway Jimmy!!” to his fellow defenders. Those familiar with Dhana’s modus operandi will understand what that meant. This was an instruction to stop the striker from going any further with the ball and true to the instruction, the striker would find himself on the backside after another robust tackle.
Allow me to dedicate this article to the robust tacklers of a by gone era in Zimbabwean football.
Let me take a diversion. In 1990, The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon announced themselves at the Italy-hosted World Cup with a combination of brutal tackling and scintillating displays of individual skill. They had an aging superstar, Roger Milla, whose goals and waist wriggling celebrations captured the world’s attention.
In their defensive set up they had one Benjamin Massing whose tackle on the long haired Argentine striker, Cannigia, will go down as one of the most brutal tackles ever witnessed at this prestigious tournament.
With Cannigia having eluded a number of challengers and just past the halfway line, Massing came charging like an enraged bull. Without breaking stride, he hit the speeding Cannigia with so much force that the many observers feared for his delicate bones. It was a brutal tackle and Massing lost a boot in the process.
In a later interview the late Massing said: “I hit him with the force of a speeding train, many still ask me about that tackle 20 years later…!” The tackle captured what Cameroon were all about, it was beauty and the beast.
Back home, yes, we have had robust tacklers as well and although I would not call it brutal, they made sure that they left a mark on the strikers. The strikers respected these defenders for their tenacity and for dark arts. It was a “by any means approach!”, the striker had to be stopped.
Here is my Top 10, feel free to add more!
1. Top of the list has to be the afore mentioned, Majid Dhana – Dhana was there to stop the strikers and often the dark arts came into the play. He served Arcadia United and the Zimbabwe national team with distinction and is a legend of our football story. Many strikers who had an encounter with the tough tackling defender will attest that he took no prisoners!
2. Stephen Chimedza – I did not watch this legend who played as a centreback for Dynamos in the 1970s. My curiosity was aroused by the nickname that the fans gave him – “Fakasimbi”. Surely there is something in that moniker to make put him on this list of robust tacklers!
3. James Matola – They called him “Van Damne” and sometimes I wonder how the strikers who had to face him managed to last 90 minutes of flying kicks and flying headers. Watching Matola defending his territory against the brave strikers was not for the faint-hearted. One unique feature about the legend was that he put his head where angels fear to tread. He went for the ball with his head with the same determination as he went with his feet.
Either way, it was up to the striker to get out of the way or risk being sent flying by the charging defender. What a brave defender he was but one whose tackles were unrestrained. Matola served Circle Cement United, Dynamos and the national team with undiluted commitment.
4. Douglas Mloyi – They nicknamed him “British” for his no-nonsense approach. I did not watch him closely enough but many stories are told that he did not hold back in any tackle. He left a mark on many strikers of his era as he defended the Highlanders cause.
5. Graham Boyle – Nicknamed “The Iron Man”, he was strong on the tackle. Many will remember his running battles with Dynamos winger Edward “Madhobha” Katsvere. This was one battle “The Iron Man” always lost since Katsvere often eluded him with what I can describe as “The Madhobha dribble!”. What a skill that was, it had to be seen to be believed! However, despite this, Boyle’s place as one of the hard men of our local game cannot be disputed. His tackles were clean but robust and the strikers felt them. Boyle is a legend of Zimbabwean football, having served Arcadia United, Rio Tinto and the national team with distinction.
6. Steven Chikodzi – It will be amiss to omit a man to whom the nickname “Cobra” was given by the fans. The former CAPS United right-back was a tough tackler who did not hesitate to use the dark arts in defence of his territory. I enjoyed watching “Cobra”, he would put in a robust tackle, the fans would complain, the referee would caution him and he would jog off protesting his innocence. He was unfazed but how he lasted the entire 90 minutes in most matches will forever be a mystery.
7. Angirai Chapo – He served Dynamos and the national team with distinction and dealt with tricky wingers and strikers by often kicking them to submission. Strikers had to think twice before taking on Chapo and very rarely did they succeed in getting past him. Trying to dribble Chapo called for a very brave heart and strong legs. He would put in those tackles to remind the strikers that they would not have an easy afternoon. The only striker who seemed to out manoeuvre him was a young Peter Ndlovu, but that is a story for another day.
8. Josphat Humbasha – Nicknamed” Mazhambe”, I did not get the chance to watch him closely but for him to earn that nickname must tell us a lot about his defending philosophy.
The legend played for Zimbabwe Saints and I can imagine what it was like when he faced the likes of Madinda Ndlovu, Rahman Gumbo and Tanny Banda in the Bulawayo Derby. I think it was flying tackles time!
9. Kudzanai Kadzirange – He went by the nickname “Kwedzu”. Tanganda United had some really good defenders like Mavhuna Mudare, Jimmy Kapitau and Ian Matondo but their hard man was Kadzirange.
While Matondo had the silky touch and was able to defend by simply reading situations, his partner Kadzirange went in hard with his tackles.
The two complemented each other well and the Mutare outfit became a respected force in Zimbabwean football. Kadzirange was indeed a rock.
10. Cleopas Dlodlo – What can I say about a man nicknamed “Saddam” by Highlanders fans. That moniker alone sums up Dlodlo ‘s defending approach. He simply did not take any prisoners, period. He stopped strikers, by any means necessary!
These are my pick but let me also talk briefly about two defenders at grassroots who I will never forget, they were masters of the flying tackle!
The arena of my experiences are the Zimbabwe Grounds, the home of grassroots football in Harare’s high-density suburb of Highfield Suburb. The protagonists, Mashaka we called him “Bla Shakes” and he played for Saltrama Plastics, and Signs Nyamhuka we called him “China”, who played for Lusaka Hotspurs.
Dear reader, I have seen flying tackles in my life, but these two were at a different level. The two would make our good friend from Cameroon, Benjamin Massing, look like an angel. We came to the Zimbabwe Grounds just to watch them put in those flying tackles. I know “China” is late but if “Bla Shakes” is still alive it would be good to talk about the good old days of competitive grassroots football. What a time we had!
Crunching tackles are no longer encouraged but back in the days, some defenders took no prisoners. They defended by any means possible and as fans we enjoyed these robust tackles as long as no bones were crushed!
Online Reporter