Lazy Muzo on Saints role

Lovemore Dube

Zimpapers Sports Hub

FORMER Zimbabwe Saints and Zimbabwe goalkeeper Muzondiwa Mugadza has spoken for the first time since becoming a member of the club’s executive.

Mugadza was appointed to the Chikwata executive in January as a member responsible for Europe and Johyn Homera, the Americas.

He says Saints belongs to the Premiership and will return on merit someday.

Mugadza said from the United Kingdom where he has been in the last 22 years that he would uphold values of the club during his tenure. He emphasized that decisions made by his Tawanda Ruzive led executive should benefit the institution and not individuals.

“I will be upholding the values and objectives of the club and doing my duties with integrity.

‘‘Main objective is ensuring that all decisions taken by the interim committee are in the best interest of the club and not those that will benefit an individual within the club,” said Mugadza regarded as the best goalkeeper ever to don the Saints Number One jersey.

Mugadza is unapologetic about his dream of seeing Saints return to the level that propelled him to greatness. He made his debut in 1992 as John Sibanda’s understudy, another great from the club probably the first after John Maseko (1969) to be called up to the national team.

“At the end of the day, we all want to see Zimbabwe Saints return to the Premier League and I will be unapologetic in saying Saints is one of the biggest clubs in the country and will remain one for the foreseeable future.

‘‘But we can’t be vested in maintaining status quo with club not playing in the top tier division in the country,” said Mugadza.

He insists the club should be playing in the Premiership. This he emphasized would be on sporting merit.

The club has on a number of times bought its way back to the league or had league changes made and they survive to play in the elite division.

Zimbabwe Saints is one of the oldest clubs in the land and has the 1974 Nyore Nyore Cup, 1976 and 1988 Chibuku Trophy, Castle Cup in 1977 and league titles in 1977 and 1988 as some of the club’s happiest moments in its history.

“Zimbabwe Saints simple needs to be playing football in the top division and I will stress, we will return to the top league on merit.

‘‘Historically in Zimbabwe we have always known Zimbabwe Saints belonging to the big four clubs in the country, but club nearly went into extinction, but this interim committee, is a generation that wants to see changes for better and the aim is to reverse the impertinence of the club’s history and unite the family, in the process make Zim Saints a great club that it was before,” said Lazy Muzo as he was affectionately called by his fans and teammates.

Mugadza was appointed into the executive to work with the diaspora community in the UK towards mobilizing resource to make Saints great again.

Given the rich history the club enjoys, Mugadza is confident that things will work out.

“As a club that has history in the country, the club’s connections are immense in the diaspora, but we are starting off with engaging with former players and once they have committed and come on board, we will then start spreading the word to the Chikwata fans and make it known of our existence and then introduce our objectives to fans.

Again our aim is to connect as many people as possible and build a strong membership base in the diaspora and back home,” said Mugadza.

Mugadza believes the diaspora community has a role to play in the game and local economy.

“I think diasporians play a significant role on local economy and on social settings but to transform local football, I think it’s a long shot.

People work hard in the diaspora and to invest in a project that has zero returns will always put potential stakeholders off,” said Muzondiwa.