Mkhokheli retires

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HE had memorable spells at Highlanders which he helped win three league titles but also reminisces about his time in the United States of America and South Africa.

After a trophy-laden 22-year playing career, former Highlanders, Chicken Inn and FC Platinum, New England Revolution and AmaZulu striker Mkhokheli Dube has decided to hang his boots.

The 38-year-old is best remembered for his glittering spell at Bosso, Platinum and the US, helping the two local giants to league titles.

His Zimbabwean peers called him “Mshoza” but in the Americas he was known as “Kheli”, a forward who became a household name at every club and in every league he played.

Dube started his career at Highlanders before moving to the United States of America on a football scholarship where he was “christened” Kheli. He featured for American Major League Soccer (MLS) side New England Revolution between 2008 and 2011 before returning to Africa to play in the South African Premiership for AmaZulu in 2012.

His stay in South Africa was short-lived as he returned home to join Chicken Inn in 2013 until the mid-2015 season after helping the Gamecocks lay the foundation for their only Premier Soccer League (PSL) title. Dube played the remainder of 2015 season for Bulawayo City, helping the municipal side gain promotion to the topflight.

His exploits charmed FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza, who lured him to Zvishavane at the beginning of 2016. He won two Castle Lager Premiership championships medals with FC Platinum in addition to the PSL titles he won with Bosso in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

After the 2019 title with FC Platinum, Dube retraced his footsteps to his childhood club Highlanders where he only played the Castle Challenge Cup against the platinum miners in March 2020 before Covid-19 struck.

After serving Highlanders from his teenage years, he moved to the United States in 2004 where he won the coveted 2005 NAIA Championship with his college side Lindsey Wilson College where he scored 36 goals and tallied 13 assists in 50 games.

After his sophomore season, he transferred to Coastal Carolina University for his junior and senior seasons, where he scored 16 goals and had 12 assists in 26 games.

During his college years Dube also played with both Michigan Bucks and Delaware Dynasty of the USL Premier Development League, helping the Bucks reach the PDL championship game both in 2006 (when they also won the title) and 2007.

A stellar college career earned himself an MLS draft in which he was picked eighth 2008 and moved to New England Revolution. He made his debut for the Revs on 29 March 2008 as an 81st-minute substitute in their opening day victory over Houston Dynamo.

And now that his career has reached its twilight, Kheli talks about his future, his plans and his love for family. The affable forward says he is still looking at options for life after football or rather life off the pitch, and revealed that while he was still in the US, he managed to acquire coaching badges as well as become certified agent.

“I honestly don’t know yet what I’m going to do with myself in retirement, but while I was in the States, I managed to acquire a few coaching badges. I have a Brazilian qualification, Zimbabwe Level One through to Four and a Caf C licence. It’s sad that for the last few years there haven’t been any courses so I’m stuck with what I have,” Kheli told Chronicle Sport.

“And at the moment, I have the Zebra Revolution Academy project to keep me busy and very soon you will be seeing the fruits of this academy. But effectively, I have a few options that I can pursue so a lot is still up in the air at the moment,” he added.

Kheli revealed that his agency was yet to be registered in Zimbabwe and he was also still not sure if he wanted to give coaching which is what he’ll have to do if he becomes a player agent. He did, however, say that his focus right now is the development of young footballers.

“I am not sure if I will register as an agent because if I do, I won’t be able to practice as a coach. So, I’m taking a little time to review my options before I make a decision. But like I said, I am keeping busy at the academy and we already have a few boys who are ready for the premier league,” he said.

Away from football and the spotlight, Kheli is a doting dad and husband: “I am a dad, I love my kids, I love my family and all I have is because of my family; I have very loving siblings whom I respect a lot. But as footballers we don’t have time to relax quietly and have fun which is why I try to hide away from all the attention.”

He described the opportunity to play for Bosso and moving to the US as priceless.

Kheli said for him, just being part of Bosso was a dream come true: “I was a fan first then a player. Winning the championship with Highlanders was a very memorable moment for me and so was playing in the US in a league that also had Thierry Henry, David Beckham et al.”

He spoke about his experience at AmaZulu which he said was a great move, but was undone by the departure of the coach who had signed him six months after his arrival: “The new coach had other ideas and eventually left, but while I was there, I realised just how far football in Africa had developed.”

On longevity he said: “22 years as a pro player is possible for everyone. It’s about dedication and once you realise that football can take you places, that football can be a livelihood, you will get it right. You need to be dedicated to the sport, respect the sport, and be willing to learn every day which is what these youngsters are missing. If you don’t listen to anyone you will not improve and such is life in general.” -@ZililoR