Chronicle Editor
GOODSON Gama Dolola, the former AmaZulu FC utility player belongs to a special class of very talented left-footers who started off as forwards and reverted to defence.
The switch in positions never affected their artistic abilities but cemented their legendary statuses in the game as they delivered top drawer performances. That group is led by former Metal Box tearaway striker Oliver Kateya. In a whirlwind season in which they were unstoppable with the likes of Sunday Chidzambwa and Chita Antonio, Kateya scored 62 goals to pip Umtali United’s Wonder Chisetera to the top goal scorer award by one in 1973.
With the club folding Kateya was grabbed by Dynamos where at first he formed a lethal combination with George Shaya, Daniel Dididi Ncube and David George in attack.
The emergence of a young Edward Katsvere saw the technical team move Kateya to left back where he would flourish for both club and country well into the late 1980s.
Isaac Phiri, a Hwange legend started off as a striker and later played as a left back in a defence that had Austin Ncube on the right, Dickson Banda and Amos Rendo at the centre.
Another legend Claudius Zviripayi burst into the Dynamos set up as a serial scoring partner of Bonface Achimwene Kabwe of ZRP Thomlison under coach Stanley Marunza. He was marvellous on the wing and centre and fans took no time giving him the nickname “Hokoyo” as he was dangerous in the final third of the pitch giving goalkeepers and defenders alike a torrid 90 minutes, with his pace, skill and power coupled with a great football brain.
Dolola an Under-14 Chibuku Trophy winner in 1987 under Eagles coach Alton Mpofu was born at Pelandaba Clinic, Bulawayo on 14 January 1971 to a family of four siblings. He grew up in the sporting neighbourhood of Njube where the legendary Majuta Mpofu and the likes of multi talented Bekithemba Ngwenya who also played for Bulawayo Wanderers were cult heroes. For him the football journey started at the age of six on the dusty patches of open land in Njube.
“It all started on the dusty streets of Njube when I was about six years old. We used to play money games against teams in our area and surrounding suburbs like Mabuthweni, Mpopoma and later Entumbane. We had a good team with the likes of the late Arum Tshuma (Highlanders and Red Seal former player) and Steven “Mangi” Phiri who played for Njube Sundowns,” said Dolola.
In 1980, Dolola and his friends joined KC Connolys juniors where they played for the Under-12s.
“We had a great team that gave Albert “Bhabha” Dube’s Highlanders a good run for their money. We had great rivalry with Njube United who were run by Nkosana, Norman and Rahman Gumbo’s father. At the age of 13 I crossed the floor to join United where I found the likes of Nkosana Gumbo,” said the once nomadic yesteryear star.
In 1984 Dolola found himself playing for Red Seal Rovers juniors with a number of boys he was previously with at Conollys and Njube United.
When Eagles won the Chibuku Trophy for Under-14s Dolola had moved to White City Stadium to be among a crop of juniors who promised so much only for the club to collapse in their late teens. Mpofu took advantage of Dolola’s small frame to use him in a younger age group in an era when Bulawayo top sides flourished because of age cheating.
Many yesteryear stars are guilty of playing with forged birth details. The Eagles juniors were Allan Ndlovu, Ndodana Mhlophe, Itai Masawi and Cleopas Dlodlo. His rise earned him a slot in the combined Bulawayo and Matabeleland North Under-18 team for the 1988 Coca-Cola Inter-Provincial Championships which were the last as in 1989 it became a secondary schools tournament. He was spotted by Majuta Mpofu while playing a money game at Ndola Ground alongside his juniors’ teammate John Ncube.
“Eagles were playing Division One football then and my close friend John Ncube found ourselves playing in the first team in 1989. I played some of my best football under Jujuju (Majuta Mpofu),” said Dolola of a man regarded as the best ball juggler ever in the country.
Like a rolling moss that gathers no dust, Dolola found himself on the road again, this time to Chegutu Pirates in 1990.
“I moved to Chegutu Pirates with John Ncube. My teammates there, were Chicken Inn coach Prince Matore, former Lancashire goalkeeper Philip Machona and Moses Milanzi. I was hero worshipped there because I scored a lot of goals,” said Dolola.
The AmaZulu and Njube legend moved to ZRP Thomlinson in 1992. His teammates there were George Mangwandi, Alex Chasweka and Fred Mwaruta and his blistering form was key to them winning the Natbrew Cup for Division One teams after beating Turnall. They were coached by Marunza.
Dolola was never satisfied with staying for far too long at one club, returned to Chegutu in 1994 to play for Lulu Rovers, who were a popular club in the town. Among the players he played with was Cyprian “Mambazo” Kanyemba who had returned from a failed impact stay at Highlanders, Moses Mwafulirwa and Sabit Yusufu.
Mwafulirwa is a Lancashire Steel FC legend. At Lulu Rovers the attraction was a job as he worked as a machine operator at David Whitehead Textiles.
The urge to come back home forced him to make a move to Kango FC who were playing in the Southern Region Division One League. They gave him a job in the stove assembling department in 1995. Kango were among the region’s top and fashionable sides with good talent and flair.
There were players like Silas Zimbiri, Timile Ncube, Jenito Zumba and Farai Sibanda now Bulawayo Chiefs manager. Halfway through the season he scored a hat-trick against then flamboyant Delma Lupepe AmaZulu FC and a fortnight later he crossed the floor to the then Charles Mhlauri, Cosmas Zulu and Philemon Dangarembwa coached side.
The club boasting of Nkululeko Dlodlo, Simba Rusike, Thabani Moyo, Nqobizitha Maenzanise, King Jones, Mthandazo Sithole, Lucky Siziba and Arnold Tsuro was promoted to the Premiership at the end of 1996. Dolola top scored with 10 goals.
He remembers his debut PSL goal as having been a scorcher against Dynamos’ Peter Fanwell. He was moved to the back at AmaZulu and filled the role with aplomb.
His returns from a colourful and journeys-filled career were the Independence Cup and Madison Trophy and the league title. He had league, Madison Trophy, Ok Grand Challenge and BP Cup runners-up medals too.
While playing for AmaZulu, Dolola used to use his own money to transport Njube Sundowns juniors whom he coached. Among them were Joseph Ngwenya who played for Bayern Munich and in the US Major League, Luton Town FC midfield kingpin Marvellous Nakamba, Bhekimpilo Ncube, Itai Pondwa, John Mabhaisa and South Africa Premiership side top goalscorer Knox Mutizwa.
A Zifa Level Two certificate holder and married to Leona Nguruve with four kids, Dolola is coaching Biya and Friends Academy in Luveve. They play in the Bulawayo Province Leagues. As great as any of his generation’s leftbacks, many may wonder why he never played for the national team.
“I was called to the senior national team by Roy Barreto for a Cosafa tie in Swaziland. I made the final 18 selected to travel. Before departure the then captain the late Benjamin Nkonjera collected all the passports from the players. When he collected mine, he burst into laughter. I had a Malawian passport. It was then explained to me that it was against the rules to play for a country while using a foreign passport. I was the only leftback selected, so I missed out. Chamu Musanhu was played at leftback,” said Gule as he is affectionately known among his football fans and former teammates.
The Warriors won the tie 2-0. He considers Vitalis Takawira as the toughest opponent he ever faced. Mercedes Sibanda remains the best player he ever faced while growing up as a Number 10, Joel Shambo the Caps United and Zimbabwe midfield jewel is the player he modelled his play around. While growing up his role model was none other than neighbourhood hero Rahman Gumbo.
“My role model while growing up was Rahman Gumbo. He is from my neighbourhood and was always smartly dressed and handsome too,” said Dolola.
Dolola had everything a coach could want from a player.
derick.khumalo