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Danisa Masuku
TRY Ncube is a football coach through and through. He tried his hand at playing, but suffered a career ending injury early on, but his love for the game remained strong and led him to coaching.
Born at Mpilo Hospital in 1973, Ncube and his family moved to the resort town of Victoria Falls where he did primary and secondary school education at Sacred Heart Mission and Mosi Oa Tunya High School completing his schooling in 1994.
After school, the wily centre back joined Busy Ireland FC, but saw his career cut short in 1997 after a horrific foot injury that precipitated his very early retirement from football. Ncube was injured when a striker tackled him with an open foot while he was attempting to clear his lines during a Division Two encounter against Zimbabwe Rovers.
“I was a central defender or defensive linkman during my playing days. I was inspired by Brazilian captain Dunga. This earned me the nickname Dunga because I was also the captain at my club,” Ncube shared.
This however, did not mean the end of his love for football. After a little while, he decided to try his hand at coaching, all in an effort to stay in the game. To this end, Ncube started his own club before taking over at Sao Paulo and working with the team until it was promoted into the Zifa Southern Region Division One league.
In 2009, Ncube left the country to try his luck in neighbouring Botswana where he coached until his return in 2012.
Upon his return, the now experienced coach was hired by Hwange-based Technosphere while they were in Division Two. He won that league’s championship at the first ask and won promotion into Division One in 2013.
2013 was their first season in the Division One and Technosphere managed to finish the season in fourth position on the log standings before finishing third in 2014 and 2015.
After being the only coach to beat Philani “Beefy” Ncube and his Bulawayo City in 2015, Ncube moved to the recently promoted side and became a second assistant coach to Beefy in 2016. Beefy was suspended from his job and later fired during which time the former Technosphere gaffer was promoted to head coach for the senior team up to the end of the season.
“I joined Bulawayo City at the beginning of 2016 as second assistant coach to Beefy, a position I held until his suspension in mid-season. The club decided to promote me to head coach of the senior team during his suspension and after his dismissal by the club,” Ncube said.
At the beginning of this year, Ncube was appointed Under-20 head coach, a job he says he is enjoying.
“At the beginning of the year I was appointed the club’s Under-20 coach. For me it was an okay appointment as it gave me an opportunity to work with young players, something that I have always enjoyed doing,” he said.
Challenges of modern football locally
Ncube spoke about the challenges facing local coaches and the development of the game in Zimbabwe.
“Our biggest problem is that we have under-developed players both physically and mentally. Most of our boys are fast tracked into senior team football resulting in the slow death of junior football,” Ncube decried.
“Players are not developed properly which is why quality of players has gone down abysmally. The biggest reason for this is the lack of proper sponsorship in football development. Without resources being made available, it is nearly impossible to have a viable development program,” he added.
The City coach said these days players who are over 34 are better than young players coming through the structures because of the quality of development they got when they were younger and playing in junior leagues. He insisted that players who came out of these old school junior structures were more refined than today’s products.
“It’s unfortunate that what we have today are unfinished products being rushed into senior team football. They are no longer as refined as the old school players who went through the old development structures. It’s not an easy job,” Ncube reiterated.
Ncube has coached several players who have gone on to become regulars at big clubs in the local Premiership. Names that come to mind are Nkosana Siwela (Hwange FC), Winston Mango (FC Platinum), and Sipho Ndlovu (Bulawayo City FC). Other players to have passed through his hands are Nhlanhla Ndlovu (Highlanders FC), and Nqobani Phakathi who also played for Hwange.
“I have coached quite a few players that have managed to break onto the big stage locally. I coached Nkosana Siwela, Winston Mango and Sipho Ndlovu while I was at Technosphere in Hwange,” he revealed.
Ncube said the standard of football in the country has gone down which is why stadiums don’t fill up anymore as compared to the old days.
Ncube got a decent education and was able to get the minimum five O-levels, a rarity in local football. He was forced to quit school after his O-levels because he was expected to find a job and fend for the family.
Ncube revealed that his favourite players in the Premiership are Highlanders’ Simon Munawa and the FC Platinum twins, Elvis and Kelvin Moyo. He further said he firmly believes Munawa, who has been scoring goals for Highlanders and helped his side to a number of victories, will be among Soccer Star finalists.
“Munawa has been coming in handy for the Highlanders’ quest for success. He has been scoring spectacular goals that have saved Highlanders from the jaws of defeat in many occasions. He is also good in attack but his letdown is that he is bad in defence,” he said.
FACT FILE
Ncube is married to Fiona Kasiya
The couple was blessed with children namely Teves Try Junior (9), Angela (19) and Fortune Ncube (23).
They fellowship at General Foundation Apostolic Church (GFAC)
His ambition is to coach in Absa Premier Soccer League.
He is a holder of Caf B coaching licence.
derick.khumalo