SA hails Zim stars

noted with five of the country’s stars dominating the best XI foreigners judged to have made the biggest impact in that top-flight in the last 17 years.
Top selling South African soccer magazine Kick Off in its latest edition, its 400th since its inception in 1994, picked the best players to have made the biggest impact in that country since 1994.
The fortnightly magazine also selected the best XI South African players in the period under review.
But more importantly for local fans, Kick-off named former Santos right back John Mbidzo, left back Innocent Chikoya who starred for Manning Rangers and Orlando Pirates, the late Francis Shonhayi, who turned out for Cape Town Spurs (now Ajax Cape Town), Kaizer Chiefs midfield general Tinashe Nengomasha and former Ajax Cape Town striker Wilfred Mugeyi among their best XI foreigners since 1994.
Mamelodi Sundowns skipper Esrom Nyandoro and former Ajax Cape Town and Orlando Pirates midfielder Dinha completed Zimbabwe’s dominance by securing places on the list of substitutes in that team.
Nigerian Williams Okpara who played for Orlando Pirates was voted the best goalkeeper with ageless Kenyan international Mussa Otieno completing the Zimbabwean-dominated defence.
Malawian midfielder John Maduka, who played for Black Aces on the domestic scene and featured for Bloemfontein Celtics in South Africa and big Cameroonian Roger Feutmba, who played for Sundowns, are among the midfielders.
Jomo Cosmos’ former Mozambican international Manuel Jose “Tico Tico” Bucuane and Nigerian striker Raphael Chukwu – who played for Sundowns – complete the Kick Off Best XI.
But it is the selection of the late Shonhayi and four others on the best XI that underlines the significance of local players in not only raising the standards of the South African game but also the profiles of the clubs they played for.
Former Warriors captain Shonhayi had left lasting memories for Dynamos fans at home before he crossed the Limpopo to join Seven Star which later merged with Cape Town Spurs.
As tough a defender as they came Shonhayi was the rock on which Cape Town Spurs built their success winning a number of cup titles like the Rothmans Cup.
Shonhayi, who died on March 30, 2006 at the age of 39, had joined Cape Town Spurs in the same year – 1994- that Kick-Off hit the streets.
In the Warriors, Shonhayi who was affectionately known as “Sandura” was also an integral member of a solid defence that regularly included the likes of John Phiri, Mercedes Sibanda (late), Ephraim Chawanda, Alexander Maseko, Paul Gundani, Norman Mapeza, and Henry McKop.
Chikoya, a talented left wing back established himself as one of the best players in the South African Premiership when turning out for Manning Rangers.
The former Warriors left back, who played for Fire Batteries on the local scene, also turned out for Orlando Pirates and, later, Moroka Swallows in the twilight of his career. Chikoya might have played few games for the Warriors but his impact in the South African Premiership was undoubted.
It was a similar tale with former Black Aces right back John Mbidzo.
Mbidzo – who seemed to get better with age – won the Premiership title with Santos and was one of the longest serving players at the Cape Town outfit.
Even at the ripe age of 35 in 2003 Mbidzo believed he was still good enough to fight for a place in the Warriors squad that represented Zimbabwe at the country’s maiden dance with the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia in 2004.
Mbidzo, who last played for the Warriors against Cameroon in Younde in July 1995, was however, overlooked for selection for the Nations Cup squad by then coach Sunday Chidzambwa.
But after spending more than a decade playing in the South African top-flight, Mbidzo’s impact did not go unnoticed and he was included in Kick Off’s South African team of the Year for the 1998-99 season.
The stylish defender joined Umtata Bush Bucks when he left Black Aces in the early 1990s before switching to Santos where really made a name in a league where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Kaizer Chiefs’ Doctor Khumalo, fellow Zimbabwean Gilbert Mushangazhike, who was at Manning Rangers, John Moeti of Orlando Pirates and Eric Ramasike of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Wilfred Mugeyi, who played in the same Black Aces team with his twin brother William and Mbdizo, also left Harare for South Africa’s Umtata Bush Bucks in 1993.
The Silver Fox had won the domestic championship with Aces in 1992, the same year he was crowned Soccer Star of the Year, and he continued with his goal scoring exploits at Bush Bucks and later Ajax Cape Town and Free State Stars.
Wilfred also became the first Zimbabwean to win the South African Golden Boot Award in 1994 when he was playing for Bush Bucks.
Two years later Mugeyi took South African football by storm when he scooped three top awards – PSL Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and Top Goalscorer of the season for 1996/97 when he scored 23 goals for Bucks.
The former Warriors forward also had spells in Israel and China, where he played for Maccabi Haifa and Hang Yan respectively.
Despite playing for a number of clubs, Wilfred, now an assistant coach at Ajax Cape Town, always reckoned that Bush Bucks would have a special place in his heart.
“I have enjoyed my football here because Bush Bucks made me what I am now. I appreciate and value all the support and I am glad that I was part of the team’s history. I also had good spell with Ajax Cape Town and Free State Stars,” Wilfred said towards the end of his career.
Of the Zimbabwean quintet in the Kick Off Best XI for the last decade and a half, Nengomasha is the only one still active.
Nicknamed The General, the Warriors midfielder has won several accolades with Kaizer Chiefs and interestingly also came from the same Black Aces side that nurtured Mbidzo and Mugeyi.
Nengomasha was also voted the most consistent Chiefs midfielder since Malombo Lechaba departed 25 years ago.
The gritty midfielder has been at Chiefs since 2002 and in 2004 he won the Kick Off Player of the Year, Players’ Player of the Year and the South African Player of the Year awards.
Nengomasha was, last year, also selected by Kick Off as one of the best imports at Naturena in the last 40 years after an astonishing 245 appearances for the club.
Kick Off also noted that former Malawian great Ernest Mtawali could have been on the list but most of his exploits were before 1994.