adminAnd Mugadza, who was behind the goalposts on the fateful day, said he is still haunted by the incident.
And, when he took to the pitch to play for the Southern Region soccer legends against their Northern Region counterparts, he couldn’t help but relive the whole ordeal again.
Even though the former Zimbabwe Saints and Amazulu has since quit football and is now tucked in the United Kingdom and is here on vacation, returning to the stadium for the first time since the terrible afternoon brought sad memories.
“I feel it is an honour to have put the national team jersey at one point. I feel honoured,” he said.
“But the incident at National Sports Stadium still haunts me and it did affect me in a way.
“And last Sunday was my first time going to the stadium since that game when people died.
“I don’t want to say I am to blame, the whole team didn’t play well.
“I was criticised for the first goal but I am a strong person and came out strongly and was able to play soccer the following seasons.
“But I don’t want to imagine the people who lost their lives.”
The former goalkeeper, who had a knack of taking good penalty kicks and moved to then cashrich Amazulu from Zimbabwe Saints, says he still misses the footballing days.
He now stays in Coventry with his small family.
“Obviously my family comes first but the football family comes second,” said Mugadza.
“I left football unceremoniously and at the time I felt I wasn’t moving forward with football.
“I am very ambitious, my dad has his businesses but I wanted my own things. I decided to move to the UK.
“I am working for one of the biggest organisations and I am in a good position and still working my way up.”
Now and again, Mugadza hooks up with some former players such as Matambanashe Sibanda, Eugene Langa, Obey Murefu and Bheki Mhlotswa for some social soccer in the UK.
Mugadza recalls the Amazulu days when owner Delma Lupepe flexed his financial muscle and acquired the good players.
“Zim Saints gave me a name but you play football to survive and when Mr Lupepe put his proposal I also agreed with the proposals and his vision for the team.
“It was good three years at the club and considering it was the richest team at the moment, the players had their own egos but we worked as a team,” said Mugadza.
It was at Amazulu that Mugadza was coached by former Warriors coach Charles Mhlauri, whom he regards as one of the best coaches the country has ever produced.
“To be honest, Charles Mhlauri, to me is one of the best coaches. I have worked with a lot of coaches but I regard him as one of the best,” said Mugadza.
Still on the coaches, he said it was worrying that the unsung heroes of football, the coaches who start with players at the junior levels, were not getting due
recognition for their efforts.
Online Reporter