adminRay Bande Senior Sports Reporter
IT is easier for the man in the street to mention most of today’s Premiership club chairpersons by name but they can hardly do the same of players and this is simply because the administrators have suddenly become more important than the players on the field of play.
This is the feeling that former midfield magician Joseph “Shabba” Takaringofa has about the trends of modern day football in Zimbabwe, which he believes has lost all the respect for the players and instead, administrators are now the focal point.
Apart from placing focus on the blundering administrators, Takaringofa believes that generally soccer players no longer have the respect that they used to command during the days he was a player.
“It is sad that soccer players have lost all the respect that we used to enjoy during our days as players. For example, when we used to play football it was rare to see me holding my kitbag because there were lots of youngsters that would be excited to hold my bag as I got into the stadium.
“In fact, most of the players that are now playing even in the Premiership used to hold our kitbags as we made our way into the stadium. But today the youngsters will simply watch you as you pass by with your kitbag. This is a clear indication that players are no longer as respectable as they used to,” bemoaned Takaringofa.
The name Joseph Takaringofa is quite familiar to soccer followers in Zimbabwe, especially those that were grown up in the mid-90s.
Born 27 May in 1974 at Mutare Provincial Hospital, Takaringofa started his football career at a tender age while turning out for Zupco Juniors, known back then as Dragon Stars. He graduated to the Zupco senior team at the age of 17 and it did not take long before he was loaned to the now defunct Mutare Super League outfit, Tanganda FC.
Upon his arrival at Tanganda, Takaringofa was part of the Class of ‘93 that won the famous Castle Cup, but the talented midfielder soon found himself back at Zupco as some club leaders at Zupco were not happy about his departure to Tanganda FC.
In 1995, Takaringofa joined CAPS United where he was part of the 1996 trailblazing Makepekepe squad that bagged the Independence Cup, the BP Charity Shield and the Premier League championship all in one season.
Many will remember the CAPS United Class of ’96 that also included yesteryear stars such as Silver ‘Bonzo’ Chigwenje, Morgan ‘Kathazile’ Nkatazo, Joe ‘Kode’ Mugabe, Alois Bunjira, Simon Dambaza, goalkeeper George Mudiwa, the late Blessing ‘Yogo-Yogo’ Makunike and Stewart ‘Shuto’ Murisa, among many others.
The same squad went on to win the Independence Cup as well as the BP Cup, but missed out on the league championship.
Takaringofa then moved to Air Zim Jets, but within a period of eight months he moved on to Harare giants Dynamos in the late 90s where he made an instant hit in the season and a half period he spent at the Glamour Boys.
Unfortunately, Shabba got injured while at Dynamos and was out of action for almost a season, but later returned to CAPS United upon recovery.
Owing to a nagging knee injury, he left CAPS United to join another now defunct Premiership side, Sporting Lions and latter Circle United before he hung his boots in 2001.
Apart from the lack of respect for players that is now characteristic of football in Zimbabwe these days, Takaringofa spoke passionately about the need to be serious about revitalising junior football structures.
“When we were players back then, it was easy for teams to identify talent at an early age because there were vibrant junior football structures.
“I got my first medal when I was 12 after a Chibuku Trophy final against Highlanders at Barbourfields Stadium. We had played as curtain raisers to the seniors Chibuku Cup final that pitted Highlanders and Dynamos.
“We had beaten Dynamos in the semi-finals and we had also beaten Bindura United in the quarter-finals. By then Bosso had the likes of Peter Ndlovu, the late Benjamin Nkonjera and a lot of other stars.
“You can see the strong vibrant junior structures that we had back then that allowed us to rub shoulders and get to know each other with the likes of Peter at an early age.
“As long as we do not improve the state of our junior football we will continue to move in circles and will never achieve anything worthwhile even at national team level.
“The problem that we also now have is that the administrators as well as soccer followers are now more concerned with the results and are not worried at all about the aspect of development,” said Takaringofa.
The Buffaloes caretaker coach also recalls the Castle Cup final match during his days at Tanganda when they played against CAPS United as one of his most memorable matches of his career.
At a tender age of 18 in the intimidating environment of Barbourfields Stadium, the league match against Highlanders which Tanganda won 2-1 after he scored the opening goal and assisted in the winning goal is another encounter that will remain etched on his mind for a long time.
Online Reporter