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WILLARD Khumalo, who died last Sunday at the age of 49, will always remain rooted in the minds of many football enthusiasts as a prolific player who had a terrifying commitment for both the national team and his parent club, Highlanders. With the shocking news of his death trending in all sections of the media in the past week, the social media overflowed with heaps of condolences messages pouring in from within and outside the borders of this 35-year-old nation and that on its own summed up the essence of the late Highlanders midfielder.
MaWii as he was fondly known by his legion of fans, at his peak was like a football genius, he was that kind of a player who could see do things that lesser players could not compute and as many soccer pundits would concur, MaWii looked in a different class to the men around him when patrolling in the middle of the park.
In line with his frame that appeared to be that of a stocky man in the field of play, MaWii was utterly a fearless galloping general and an abrasive player that marshalled a great army at will. In his time, he proved to be one of the players that could bring magic to the stadium.
Love him or hate him, you would still want to watch him!
If you rewind to the early 80s, you will know of a mere schoolboy from Northlea High School in Bulawayo who dribbled his way to football fame and just at the age of 18 the boy (MaWii) made the grade in Bulawayo’s biggest club, something that was rare in that epoch.
Bosso’s midfield circles that included MaWii, Tito Paketh, David Phiri and Titus “Zii” Majola, reflected superb performances and their telepathic nature proved to be deadly as they sniffed out the opposition’s weakness, at the same time moving in for the kill.
As such, the trio was part of the 1986 Highlanders’ golden team that won everything on offer in the domestic football arena. The BAT Rosebowl, the Independence Cup, Heroes’ Cup, Chibuku Trophy, Rothmans Cup and Castle Cup indisputably belonged to them in that year.
Of course, MaWii was the leader of the pack who still rates as one of the best midfielders ever in the country, competing with Moses “Bambo” Chunga, Joel Shambo, Jimmy Phiri, Chemai Hunidzarira and Stix Mtizwa.
As an architect of the impossible and the brain of the most beautiful soccer, in a league match played at Gwanzura Stadium in 1993, he scored a 40-metre volley which gave the then Caps United goalkeeper Brenna Msiska, no chance therefore, impelling Bosso to a much deserved 1-0 win.
MaWii also had a chance to ply his trade abroad, in particular Germany and also in South Africa.
He was part of the all-conquering “Dream Team” guided by the late German shrewd mentor Reinhard Fabisch. As a member of the dazzling national team that nearly qualified for the 1994 World Cup, he played alongside the Ndlovu brothers, Madinda, Peter and Adam, Henry McKop, Ephraim Chawanda, Paul Gundani, Francis Shonhayi as well as his cousin, Mercedes Sibanda.
Due to his exceptional commitment to the club that gave him fame, just after hanging his boots he remained at the club as an assistant coach to Rahman Gumbo and eventually took over from the latter as the head coach. In 2006, MaWii also had a stint on the Warriors’ bench as an assistant coach to Charles Mhlauri.
Loyce Mguni was a senior teacher at Northlea High School in the early 80s and that was during MaWii’s era. Mguni recalls how MaWii used to prefer playing with the soccer ball alone in the school grounds while the rest of the pupils were in the classroom.
“He came to my office in his first days at Northlea, complaining about how he was forced to do Mathematics and Science. He told me that he enjoyed playing soccer and he had nothing to do with all the academic subjects that he was forced to do. At first it was difficult to understand this boy, since in that era, education was all that mattered.
“At that time the school had many children, so if one started behaving funny by not doing school work, the teachers could easily give up on you and that was the case with Willard. At school’s sporting occasions he was a very active boy, but in the classroom he was the opposite.
“As the days went by, there were no signs of change in Willard’s classroom behaviour. I then agreed with the other senior teacher Bernard Zulu, to let Willard go outside to play soccer alone while the other pupils were in their classrooms. From a distance I could monitor him as he played and you could see the love he had for soccer,” said Mguni.
She describes how MaWii could play by himself from morning to the afternoon without even resting, adding that his inclusion in the school’s first team at a junior level motivated him, therefore, marking the genesis of his legendary career in the football circles.
“He used to play from 8am to 1pm and he once told me that he never got tired when it comes to football. In that same year despite being a junior he made it into the school’s senior team, and it encouraged him to like soccer more and that’s how Willard started playing soccer,” added Mguni.
Mguni is saddened by the untimely passing on of Willard as she feels that her former pupil had more knowledge which could have also helped the country in the football circles.
“He did well during his time in the field and I believe he could also have done more for the country,” Mguni pointed out.
Born on 11 June 1966, his initial ambition was to become a soccer player and as he grew up his love for the world’s most beautiful game also grew with him no way was he going to go off with a shattered dream, a true gentleman of the game he was.
Just at 49, he has bided his time and by general consent, it’s a talent taken away far too soon. Rest in peace Nduna!
Online Reporter