Mabaya inspires Cosafa schools’ starlet

Tadious Manyepo Youth Interactive Correspondent

ISAAC Mabaya is making inroads at one of the best teams in the world Liverpool. 

The highly-rated Zimbabwe international is only the second player from this country to play for the English giants after the legendary Bruce Grobbelaar. 

So good is the youngster that he is touted as the next biggest thing to happen to Zimbabwean football. 

While Mabaya is putting on the work to try to break into the Liverpool first team, his being there is already impacting the upcoming footballers back home. 

One of those he is inspiring is his nephew Gareth Machekeche. 

The latter is the son of Mabaya’s father’s sister Fiona. 

And the close relationship they share has made Machekeche believe that he can also make it big.

 Machekeche is only 14. 

He was part of the Zimbabwe U15 squad that won bronze in the recently held Cosafa Schools tournament at Gateway School in Harare. 

It was Zimbabwe’s first time to participate in this relatively new competition which was introduced a year ago. Zimbabwe wasn’t part of the international football family then due to their suspension by FIFA. 

But once they were readmitted with the appointment of a Normalisation Committee mid-this year, they showed a lot of keenness to take part in this nursery tournament. 

They successfully bid to host the contest and flawlessly did that last week at one of the best learning institutions in the capital city. 

All eyes were on how both the girls’ and boy’s teams would fare at this annual jamboree. 

Of course, both teams did show some nerves but there were a lot of positives as stakeholders felt at least the country has somewhere to lay the first building block as far as putting together vibrant future senior national team structures is concerned. 

The girls couldn’t make it past the group stages but the boys showed a lot of clout and finished third with the legendary Edward Sadomba’s son El Shaddai picking the Golden Boot accolade after netting six goals. 

Although the Cosafa collation team made a mistake by attaching only four goals to the prodigy, they did apologise for the boob early this week. 

While Sadomba and another genius Tadiwa Chakuchichi grabbed much of the attention and even made the tournament’s Best 11, Machekeche was the squad’s unsung hero. 

The Direct Contact learner did much of the donkey work and was also craft in the middle of the park. 

He combined industry and flair much to the delight of spectators who thronged Gateway Grounds to cheer the budding stars. Machekeche cut his teeth in the football circles after joining SN Academy from Windview showing a lot of potential as a star in the making. 

“Growing up I used to get motivation from my cousin Isaac Mabaya who currently plays for Liverpool. He is the inspiration behind my hard work,” said Machekeche. 

“I was exposed to local football in the neighbourhood I grew up in which exposed me to various football experiences where I learned how to pass the ball as well as grow my football knowledge. 

“I began to follow the sport on television watching teams like Manchester City where I idolised players like Kevin De Bruyne whose style of play motivated me to love the sport even more. 

“At first, my parents were not well-versed with soccer.

 However, they still supported me and I grew as a player until I started to make a name for myself at school”. 

His parents watched in delight as Machekeche showed much composure and tenacity at the recent CAF Cosafa Schools team. “Now I am back to train with SN academy where I am coached by Simbarashe Nhivi who is a former Mamelodi Sundowns, Dynamos, and CAPS United player. 

“My dream is to play in Europe just like Mabaya”. 

Father to the A-lister student, who is as good in football as he is in academics, Cute, a mining consultant said at first he never thought his last born was as good as he saw last week. “Gareth is my last of the three children and I never thought he would one day don the national colours, especially at this young age. 

“As a father to Gareth I am very much excited to see him represent the country,” he said. 

“He has made me proud and the nation at large considering the level that they achieved as a team to pick up the bronze medal in such a competitive tournament. 

“It has always been my dream for one of my children to fulfill my dreams of playing football at a high level. 

I wanted to play football but my career was short-lived when I dislocated my left shoulder and that spelt the end of the journey. “It has always been my dream to invest in my kids and now it is already showing dividends. 

“I would want to congratulate my son for the big achievement and wish him more milestones in his football career not forgetting his teammates and the coaching staff who have made it happen”. His mother, a top University Lecturer said her wish is to see her son make it big. 

“Coming from a very academic background, we have always undermined sport,” she said. 

“But my son has changed my direction of thought and as his mother, I’m in full support of his dream”. 

Chakuchichi and his mates can only hope for the best.