adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
THE standards of the game of football in the country will continue to be on a free fall as long as junior football structures as well as area zones are not active as is the current situation.
These are the thoughts and feelings of former Tanganda shot-stopper, Emanuel “Reflex” Maluwa, whose football career also started at an early age, thanks to the then vibrant junior football structures in the country.
Maluwa turned out for Tan Tan, as Tanganda was adoringly referred to, from Division Two up until the team was promoted all the way to the top-flight league, known by then as the Super League.
According to Maluwa, junior and community football tournaments sponsored by corporate such as Dunlop, Schweppes, Coca-Cola as well as Chibuku helped nurture talent from grassroots level. This is where talent was identified and then nurtured at club level and by the time one was roped into club senior team, he or she would be a complete player.
“It is sad that we no longer have vibrant junior football structures in the country and that is the reason why the standards of the game have deteriorated. It was unheard of to see a player turning out for a Premiership team failing to control the ball.
“All the basics of the game were taught at a junior level, but our junior football structures are as good as dead. We also no longer have area zone football structures.
“During our time, there was the Dunlop and Coca-Cola tournaments which used to cater for schools, while the Chibuku Under-16 tournament had a community based approach whereby the best players from each province would be selected to represent their respective province.
“I remember we also had the Schweppes tournament, which was for both schools and junior football league. We no longer have all this,” said Maluwa.
The agile goalkeeper during his heydays traces his career to Flamingo Juniors in Dangamvura where he honed his skills under the tutelage of Langton Dzinduhwa. At the same time, he also had a stint with an area zone club, Swift, which predominantly comprised of ghetto youths from the sprawling suburb of Dangamvura. Dzinduhwa then facilitated Maluwa’s move to Tanganda and by then the team was still in Division Two in 1985. The following year, Tanganda was promoted into Division One. Although he started off featuring in the reserve side, by 1987, Maluwa commanded a regular first team jersey.
Together with the likes of the late Matondo bothers, Ian and Cliff, Kudzanai Kadzirange, Jimmy Kapitau, Webster Kurwaisimba and others, Tanganda was soon promoted into the Super League.
In fact, Tanganda, which was being coached all along by Rewai Matondo, the late Jimmy Malomo and James Muhala, joined the then top-flight league in 1989 after winning the BAT Rosebowl championship.
It was in 1989 upon promotion into the Super League that Matondo and Malomo remained as coaches, while Muhala left and in 1990 Maluwa continued to command the first jersey for Tanganda in the Super League.
“I continued to command a first 11 place in the team and competition became stiffer when Spencer Ngove came.
“You would not get a place in the first 11 in the next match if you conceded more than two goals whether the team won or not.
“Competition even became tighter when Nelson Bandura came in 1991. In fact, Nelson came as my replacement because I had picked up an injury. We finished the season third on the log table that year. In 1992 we were three goalkeepers at Tanganda, myself, Bandura and Ngove, but it was not long before Bandura left for South Africa,” he said.
Nicknamed Reflex owing to his agility between the sticks, Maluwa had his unforgettable moments at Tanganda as a player.
“I think wining the Castle Cup in 1993 was something we will always treasure as players.
“It brought smiles on the faces of every football-loving person here in Mutare and we really had a talented outfit that deserved to win the Cup.
“I remember being in action during the tournament, especially in the away quarter-final against Mhangura. I was in goal and we beat them 5-3. Mhangura had the likes of Garikai Zuze, who later joined Dynamos, among other talented players.
“I was also in the first 11 when we beat Ziscosteel in the semi-final match at Sakubva Stadium. We beat them 5-4. However, in the final against CAPS United it was Spencer Ngove who was in the first 11. I remember we drew one-all in the first match and we drew two-all in the replay that was played a week later.
“We, however, managed to beat CAPS United in the penalty shoot-out. Misheck Marimo was our coach and he was assisted by the late Malomo.
“Nonetheless, I think my most memorable game in Tanganda colours was the season decider against Green Buffaloes at Sakubva Stadium. Some of the country’s best referees from Harare — John Nkatazo and Wilfred Mukuna — were appointed to handle the match.
“We won it 2-1 and Ian Matondo scored the winning goal. I will never forget that match. It was tight.
“I played my heart out just like all my teammates. We got the result we wanted and we were promoted into the Super League,” he said. Much as he had his memorable moments, Maluwa also has matches that he would hate to recall.
“I felt bad about my performance during the match against Chapungu at Sakubva Stadium.
“We were beaten 3-1 and I made a number of silly blunders in that match. I remember at one point I literally passed the ball to Chapungu striker, Nkulumo Donga, and he scored. It was bad.
“That was my worst performance as a goalkeeper in the top-flight league
“I know most people who watched Tanganda during our time would point out to the match against Highlanders when the late Mercedes “Rambo” Sibanda scored two goals from a long distance. Many think that could easily be my worst performance, but I think the game against Chapungu was the worst for me,” he said.
Maluwa, who is now into coaching after acquiring Level One and Level Two coaching qualifications, hung his boots in 1997.
Online Reporter