AndrewDon Makanyanga
Sports Reporter
FOR someone who failed to reach dizzy heights as a player, Triangle gaffer Taurai Mangwiro is willing to make amends by winning at least a league championship title.
On Tuesday, the former Dynamos midfielder turned 50 and announced it via his WhatsApp status which read: “50 and not out.”
“Had it been in my favourite sport, cricket, I would have raised the bat to celebrate this milestone, but all the glory goes to God for taking us through all the years, and I am still willing to go on until I attain my target — to win the league title,” said Mangwiro.
Celebrating his 50th anniversary, he said, had given him an opportunity to reflect on the journey he has travelled in the football trenches.
“I admit that I have had my highs and lows both as a player and a coach, but I still feel I still have a lot to offer.”
Since venturing into coaching 15 years ago, failure to win the league title is something that haunts him. “As a coach I have done fairly well, I won the Cosafa Under-20 with Methembe Ndlovu, played in a number of finals, won the Chibuku Super Cup twice and I have participated in the African safari thrice.
“Despite all this, my biggest disappointment is that I have not been able to win the championship, which is the ultimate goal.”
Mangwiro was introduced to football by his late brother Tonderai Nhamo and former Dynamos skipper Memory Mucherahohwa
“My late elder brother Tonderai Nhamo, better known as ‘Nyaro’, together with Memory Mucherahohwa introduced me to football at Gwinyiro Primary School in the early 80’s.
“I managed to break into the senior team at primary level and at Dynamos because of them. I stopped training with the Dynamos juniors in 1988, but Mucherahohwa persuaded me, and went on to talk to then-Dynamos coach Peter Nyama who said I was a good player.
“In 1989, together with Vitalis Takawira, Simon Chuma and Alois Godzi, we graduated from the juniors into the senior team and went on to win the championship that same year,” said Mangwiro.
Four years after his breakthrough into the Harare giants, Mangwiro was caught up in the factional fights at DeMbare and left to join a defecting group which had formed a rival team known as Dynamos United.
“At the height of the Dynamos squabbles, I decided to move alongside Peter Fanwell, Biggie Zuze and join Dynamos United, a breakaway faction.
“After the two parties reached an amicable solution, I decided to stay put at Dynamos United,” he said. Despite making the hard decision of staying with the Division One side, Mangwiro says he was disappointed by his failure to reach dizzy heights with the Glamour Boys. “Leaving Dynamos is one of my biggest regrets, I did not get to blossom as much as I would have wanted at the club.
“It was not because I was a fringe player, but the club had a lot of quality and I feel it was the right decision for me to pursue my career elsewhere,” he said.
Dynamos United were to be pipped for Premiership promotion by Rufaro Rovers in 1993, but Mangwiro still returned to the top-flight with John Nyamasoka’s side.
He spent two seasons with Rufaro Rovers before relocating to Masvingo, where he wanted to pursue his academic career.
“I spent two years with Rufaro Rovers and left for Bondolfi Teachers’ College, where I had to pursue my academic career.
“I would go on to reach my best levels as a player playing for Masvingo United whilst I was at college between 1996 and 1998.”
A year after helping Masvingo United gain promotion into the PSL, Mangwiro was told that it was time for the club to inject new blood and he decided to enrol for a coaching badge.
As a teacher, Mangwiro had to juggle between his job and football for a decade before quitting his teaching job in 2009 to fully concentrate on the game.
“Saul Chaminuka, who was very influential in starting my career in coaching, invited me to be his assistant at Gutu Leopards in 2004 before leaving in 2005, and I was thrust into the head coach position for Gutu Leopards in Division One.
“In 2006, things started to brighten up for me: Luke Masomere appointed me as his assistant at Masvingo United.
“Midway through the season, Masomere left Masvingo for BMC and again I was thrust onto the hot seat as an interim coach and since 2006, I have ever been present in the top-flight in different capacities.”
It was to be the same story again in 2009 when Rodwell Dhlakama was to be suspended at Monomotapa FC.
Mangwiro stepped up to fill the void.
As he celebrated his birthday, which was a family affair because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mangwiro paid tribute to his colleagues and counterparts who have helped shape his career.
“We would have wanted something big but unfortunately with the Covid-19 we had to hold a family function at home,” he said.
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