‘Joey Antipas ended my career’

Danisa Masuku

To be a captain of any sporting discipline is not a stroll in the park. One has to have leadership qualities and also be a good player. Such was the quality which was exhibited by Robert “Bomber” Phiri who was the captain of Gweru United for eight seasons.

But his footballing career had started at Shabanie Mine Pirates, a Division Two outfit at the age of 16. He says after a short stint with the side he then secured a job at Zim Alloys where he worked as a diesel plant operator.

While he was with Zim Alloys, Gweru United scouts enticed him to join Pisa Pisa. Phiri snapped up the opportunity and joined Pisa Pisa as Gweru United were popularly known.

“I decided to join Gweru United since it was the team close to my heart. But when I joined the side had good players, as such it was difficult to break into the first team. I had to play more than four games in the reserve side,” he recalls.

At the time Gweru United had Sam Semwayo, Victor Dliwayo and Morris Manduna who later became team manager of Gweru United. He reveals how the team earned the name Pisa Pisa.

“Gweru United had passionate supporters who loved their team and were known for burning papers after any win and that is how the name came about,” he reveals.

He reveals that he made his debut against Arcadia United as a substitute back in 1976.

“I was thrown at the deep end in the second stanza of the match and it was not a good debut for me as I made a lot of silly mistakes. But the coaches — Stanford Chifumbu and the late Muringani were a pillar of strength as they encouraged me not to give up. That reinvigorated my hope to give my best in the next match,” he reveals.

And he did, as a result he was a regular for the side. In 1978 his star shone brighter and was given the captain’s arm band. He says he was the captain from 1978 up to 1985. Every coach has his own type of brand of play, when William Sibanda assumed the reins of power he switched him from midfield to the heart of defence as he preferred an offensive approach.

“I gave my best and gelled well with John Baison,” he says. But in no time his coach changed him to the right-back position.

He reveals that he fit well in that position as he had strength in over-lapping and had fire power when going forward.

That Gweru United outfit had the following players Gilbert Muroyiwa, Roseman Draco Mangwiro, Witon Rensburg, John Baison, Takesure Tito, Thomas Chipembere, Peter Mlauzi, Wonder Chaka, Isaac Tshuma, Ashton Mhlanga, Collin Semwayo, Ephert Santu, Ranga Mutunga, Kisdo Matsika and Temba Chingwena, among others.

However, he had his own fair share of heart aches.

“We were booted out of the Castle Cup by Arcadia at our home ground Ascot Stadium. We were beaten 2-1. It was one of those games where we played very well but our goalkeeper Ranga Mutanga committed silly mistakes and let in soft goals. For that loss we blamed the coach who fielded him after he had missed a number of matches,” he reveals.

The 1984 season saw the Pisa Pisa machine reach the second round of the African Cup Winners’ Cup, where they were knocked out by Uganda’s Kampala City Council 4-2 on aggregate.

His heart also bleeds when he thinks of a match when his side was drubbed 6-1 by Bulawayo Wanderers.

“Indeed it was a terrible game for us as we were humiliated 6-1 by Bulawayo Wanderers in a league match. We were reduced to minnows and I believe the weakest point of our team during that match was the midfield department as it was depleted,” he shares.

In 1985 he resigned from Zim Alloys as he had secured a job at Oxico Company in Bulawayo. But he says his football career became strenuous to him.

“I had to travel to Gweru every weekend and when we travelled long journeys like to Rio Tinto in Kadoma I would fail to report for duty on Mondays and as a result I had to look for a team in Bulawayo. I had to train with Zimbabwe Saints for the entire season,” he says.

Every dark cloud has a silver lining, while he was training with Zimbabwe Saints, Highlanders expressed interest in his services but Bulawayo Eagles had a good offer.

“I had to join Bulawayo Eagles in 1986 and settled well at the side. I played alongside Elvis “Chuchu” Chiweshe, Johannes Tshuma, Tani Banda and Boy Ndlovu,” he shares. The side was coached by Majuta Mpofu while James Banda was the team manager.

He reveals while he was enjoying his run of success at Bulawayo Eagles, a game against Arcadia United became a disastrous match for him.

“In a tussle for a ball I clashed against Joey Antipas, after that I suffered a nagging knee injury. At the end of the season I decided to quit soccer,” he says.

He was then appointed head coach for Oxico social team.

“I coached the outfit for a season but due to family pressing issues I had to resign and went back to Gweru and rejoined Zim Alloys where I worked up to 2010,” he reveals.

And since then he has been surviving on pension and assistance from his children. He reveals that he enjoyed derby matches between his side and Bata Power.

“Gweru came alive when we locked horns with our neighbours Bata Power who had good players in Onias Musana, Musa Jemwa, Mike Musa and Thomas Sandram,” he recalls.

His wife Sandra Kanengoni-Phiri has been a source of inspiration to him and he values that.

“She used to accompany me to almost every match and when the chips were down she was a shoulder to lean on and would tell me words that gave me hope,” he shares.

He reveals that yester year players were passionate about the game.

“We hated defeat, as such we gave our best and Rhodesia National Football League had good players, that is why a number of good players failed to make it to the national team because there was stiff competition,” he says.

He says the current crop of players have to up their game so as to make football entertaining.

“I feel the standard of soccer has fallen and there is no team which plays entertaining football and that is why our national team fails to qualify in major tournaments like World Cup. With that in mind PSL players should give their best and have passion for the game,” he reveals.

Fact File

Robert Phiri was born in 1954 at Shabanie Mine Township, Zvishavane, Midlands Province. He was born in a family of five children — three girls and two boys. His father was a soccer player and turned out for Shabanie Mine FC. He is married to Sandra and they were blessed with five children namely

— Darlington (41), James (37), Justin (late), Munyaradzi (30 ) who is a lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University and coaches basketball, Judith (24) just finished an Honours Degree in Marketing.

He attended Gresham Primary School and Luveve Secondary School and played in the school team alongside Steven Kwashi.

The couple worships at Anglican and they have a house in Mkoba, Gweru.