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The English Premiership is the most followed league in the continent, by virtue of television coverage and most soccer fans in Zimbabwe would rather follow the English league than the Spanish or Germany league, for one reason or another.
The local Premiership has gone past its halfway mark but now there will be divided attention as locals have also fallen so much in love with European football. In fact, many follow teams in Europe with so much passion, just like they follow Highlanders, Dynamos and CAPS United and that shows the power of television.
It’s not only in Zimbabwe — a fan in Kenya killed himself after his beloved Arsenal were booted out of the Champions League 4-1 in the semi-final by Manchester United in 2009. In Europe, an enraged Manchester United fan killed four people when he drove his minibus into a crowd of Barcelona supporters after his team’s Champions League final defeat, also in 2009. Police said the Red Devils fan was so annoyed when he drove past the jubilant Barcelona fans that he made a U-turn and ploughed into them. The police spokeswoman said 10 people were injured and the driver was arrested.
I happen to have fallen in love with a modest club called Arsenal and admittedly, I have been a subject of ridicule at my workplace because of my beloved Gunners who blow hot and cold, flickering like veld fire. Last season, when they fell 8-2 to Manchester United, I found papers with the score line in big and bold stuck on my office door, and I received messages on my cellphone and Facebook wall from friends, relatives and colleagues who wanted “to check if I was still alive.”
I guess that is one of the things that make football exciting. It brings people together and it helps people make friends, and most importantly, enemies are just for a short while. And just yesterday, Chronicle News Editor, Mkhululi Sibanda, who is a staunch Manchester United fan, was trying to be “kind” to me, telling that they have not yet closed doors for those who want to join the Supporters Club at Manchester United. Like what football fans do, I picked up my own soft target, Chronicle Sports Editor Lovemore Dube, who still loves his Liverpool in this day and age, because I know my Gunners have better chances of doing well than Liverpool, if not better than all other teams in the league.
It therefore goes without saying that the football story of the week, or the sports story of the week which came just after the Olympics, was the signing of Dutchman, Robin Van Persie by Manchester United from Arsenal. In football, the cardinal rule is that one man does not make a team but last season, the Dutchman carried Arsenal through to the respectable third place finish by himself, scoring goals for fun and no wonder he attracted attention from all big clubs in the world. Like other Arsenal star players before him, he left for big money elsewhere, but that will not stop people like me from backing the Gunners.
He told the Sun newspaper that it was an honour to join Man U, after completing a deal that will give him a signing on fee of £24 million and leave Arsenal £22million richer as well. Media reports in London said he is set to earn £235 000 per week, almost double the £130 000 wages proposed by Arsenal for a new four-year deal. With earnings up to £12.2m-a-year, he is set to get a staggering £48.9m over the course of his four-year contract at United.
United announced in a statement: “Robin van Persie has completed his medical, agreed personal terms and signed for Manchester United on a four-year contract until June 2016.”
The Dutchman said: “I am looking forward to following in the footsteps of so many great strikers, bringing my experience and playing my part to help the team compete for the biggest trophies in the game. I can’t wait to get started.”
Manager Ferguson said: “Robin is a world-class striker with a proven record in England and in European football. His talents need no introduction to our fans — he has scored a number of goals against us in some classic battles with his former club. His movement, finishing and all-round ability are outstanding. The boy wanted to come. He turned down various clubs. If he hadn’t told Arsenal he wanted to go to Manchester United, the transfer wouldn’t have happened.”
Ferguson admitted he thought it would be impossible to get Van Persie to sign, but had to make an attempt when the striker did not sign a new contract with the north London club.
While the football world was occupied with the events in England, the new prince charming of Zimbabwean football, Highlanders coach Kelvin Kaindu, turned 35 on Tuesday.
The Zambian has led a rejuvenated Highlanders in their 17-match unbeaten run, where they have rewritten history books of the domestic Premiership, although it still remains to be seen if they will go all the way to lift the title, something that has eluded them in the past six years.
Although his boys are smashing every record by each passing game, the Zambian has remained modest, saying he has not done anything extra-ordinary at Highlanders and everything is happening because of the grace of God.
The man is a Christian, but those who follow football will tell you that he has done a lot to change things at Highlanders, giving his team, made up of mostly average players, a new direction and new sense of conviction that, yes, they can do it.
Captain Innocent Mapuranga was never taken seriously in the Premiership and his move from Railstars to Highlanders a couple of years back was seen as just a temporary measure to help Highlanders get back on their feet, but he has taken a new lease of life, commanding the team well and has even convinced national team coaches that he is good enough to play for the Warriors.
While local football fans and pundits have never doubted the pedigree of Mthulisi Maphosa, no one ever thought after being shown the door by FC Platinum unceremoniously he was going to pick himself up and rise to high levels where he is arguably the best holding midfielder in the Premiership.
Milton Ncube was offloaded by Motor Action, and so was Masimba Mambare, but they have found a new lease of life at Highlanders, scoring for fun with Ncube the leading scorer of the club and Mambare the star of the show in recent big games against Dynamos and CAPS United.
And then there is the dreadlocked Peter “Rio” Moyo. If he was an artiste on stage I would say he sings like an angel and dances like a demon. The boy just does something unbelievable with the ball, the kind of stuff that fans pay their hard earned cash to enter the stadium for. Erick Mudzingwa has also reinvented himself in defence and there is a feeling up the in air that Bhekimpilo Ncube will go back to the fiery work horse he was at Motor Action and Graham Ncube will soon rediscover his scoring boots and Ariel Sibanda is slowly coming out of his shell to be at level with his team-mates. If you ask Kaindu why his players are performing like this, he will tell you it’s by the grace of God, but he has surely introduced new philosophy at Highlanders, where boys believe they can beat anybody anywhere, and they believe with prayers everything is possible.
We live in a new world dominated by the internet with its social network sites and it is by no coincidence that what Kaindu puts on his wall is liked and commented on by hundreds of people. He also received hundreds of birthday messages and with less than a year in the City of Kings and Queens, Kaindu has found a special place in the hearts of Bosso fans.
And he keeps praying; “My father, my father this year 2012, by a miracle beyond human comprehension my harvest shall show up, by the anointing I shall dance the dance of harvest and sing the songs of decoration this year in Jesus name.
“My father, my father, the open doors you have set before me; take me into them by fire this year in Jesus name… My father my father enough is enough do for me what you did for David after Soul said he will never be decorated…My father, my father it is time. It’s not by might nor by power but by his spirit….My father my father I send out an announcement to the gates of hell today, that enough is enough if I perish I perish I am not giving up on God, it shall be well…My father, my father keeps on doing great things, its increase time it shall be well… Amen it shall be well.”
He received a lot of birthday messages from fans. Pamela Mathe said; “Happy birthday Mr Kaindu, our lovely coach. May you have a blessed day. May you live long coach.”
Noel Behane added; “Happy birthday coach, may the good Lord continue to increase you. If He be for us who shall be against us?, while Bulawayo club owner Siphambaniso Dube said; “Happy birthday coach you are the special one for us.”
And as a parting shot, I stumbled on an interesting post on Facebook from a Highlanders life member Faith Silandulo Dube. “Our football has been dirty for some time, and I foresee a wearisome cleansing process from Club level to the National Association. Currently I believe our game is generally on a cleansing mode, but there is heavy resistance from certain quarters. (Henrietta) Rushwaya is taking his act to the High Court. Highlanders must seriously do a meticulous auditing to protect and preserve the name of our institution from reckless vultures who have seen an opportunity to exploit the Club. I got a little afraid in 2010 ZIFA elections, and this year’s Highlanders elections when I saw people spend considerable amounts of money to fund their elections for football posts where they are not paid a single cent. That statement will always tell a tale! Keep dreaming for that, but you have a number of nightmares occasionally lol.”
I will not try to unpack the statement, not if after former Highlanders executive member now based in the UK, Liqhwa Gama said , “liyakhuluma majaha olendlebe uzwile” (You are really talking guys, those with ears have heard.) For comments and contributions email [email protected]. You can follow the writer on Facebook and Twitter.
Online Reporter