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Sports Reporter
Simba “Buju” Ndoro who is now acclaimed as Father Christmas, rode into a decaying slum called Wadzanai Stadium in Shamva and the remnants of what used to be good local football, founded Simba Bhora and coughed up thousands of US dollars to rebuild the stadium and sign marquee players to fight for a Premiership slot.
In fairness to Ndoro — an unlikely sequence of four consecutive words — the similarity extends to beards and a fondness for gifting, but Santa Claus is believed to have taken legal advice over the aspersion.
Nowadays, loud music, thundering exhaust pipes and bellowing engines permeate the air. These are the sounds that accompanied Moneybags into the Castle Premier Soccer League. This club has firmly installed itself as the monied club of this generation. Imagine the day they roll into town to face league greenhorns Arenel Movers at Luveve Stadium tomorrow, many an “ancestor” (that is what these ama 2K call anyone over the age of 40) should be jolted to reminisce about Delma Lupepe’s AmaZulu.
Deja Vu maybe?
When “Buju” came along, the picture changed not just in Shamva but across football in general. There was this young bloke with a big smile saying “It’s Christmas” and our football swag last seen eons ago started coming through again.
Towns routinely come to a standstill while people jostle to take a peek at these massive works of motor art. A free car and fashion show is ever in the offing in the clean again streets of the City of Royalty!
It is also very easy to imagine these dudes and their “dudettes” in the same social strata as Patrice Motsepe’s Mamelodi Sundowns boys in South Africa: the obvious swag, the airs, the sweet smell of crisp Benjamins!
What of the Rangers and Mercs and Beemers and the mother of motor luxury: the odd Rolls Royce or Bentley.
Who are they?
When you see them, they are in town to play a league match with a local club. And as the season heads into match day two, we already know they opened their account with a convincing 2-1 victory away to Kuda Mahachi’s Manica Diamonds. Both goals were scored by former Dynamos starlet Junior
Makunike, the poster boy of the Moneybags’ sporting property. Makunike, Bulawayo’s very own, could very well tar his hometown neighbours blue-black when he and his fellas roll into Bulawayo.
Their opponents could easily be the Sweet Boys of this league. And town too! They are newly promoted and maybe not the shiniest button on the suit but hanging in there, tails high up in the air after they held (no pun intended) reigning league champions, Ngezi Platinum to a goalless draw on debut.
So, we have Moneybags and their cars and money and girls on the one side! Then we have the unassuming Kings of Sweetland on the other hand! Intriguing!
Question: can Bujus’ charisma and smarts rub off onto his Simba Bhora? Will Makunike and company do enough to command respect on the field like their boss in the hard knock world of business?
When the time comes, will grit trump swag? Can clubs like Arenel, TelOne and one of Tenex or Bikita Minerals and their somewhat average but committed squads compare with the wealth of talent in the golden dressing room from the mining town of Shamva?
Well! It will only take 90 minutes or so to figure this out, so enjoy the ride. Without a doubt, Moneybags will roll into town and when they do, they will be buzzing! As usual! We will have our very own Super Bowl-type hype and sports entertainment will have arrived on the Metro shores of Bulawayo!
Online Reporter