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The man who is nicknamed “Diaspora” because of a two year spell with Apop Kinyras in Cyprus finally called it a day last week.
I say finally because the 36-year-old had vowed to play until he was 40 and looked fit enough to walk the talk.
Kutyauripo ventures into coaching amid high expectations that his bad boy-gone tale will inspire the next generation of footballers, starting at Harare City and boiling over to the national structures.
The Kutyauripo we have today is worlds apart from the man who sang “Ziso rako rakandimaka” to Kallisto Pasuwa towards the end of the defender’s spell at Dynamos.
During a team meeting at Raylton Sports Club sometime in 2012 Kutyauripo unleashed a song with the following lyrics…
Ziso rako rakandimaka,
Manje hameno,
Hameno ikoko
The defender was telling someone, widely believed to be the coach who was freezing him out of the team, that he knew he hated him and that he did not give a damn about it.
Certainly, this is not the same Kutyauripo who wired up former teammate Leonard Tsipa into a fit of rage during an explosive season opener Harare Derby between Caps United and Dynamos on March 16, 2008.
Tsipa had just signed for DeMbare and came in as second half substitute to face his former paymasters.
However, he did not last long on the pitch after Kutyauripo accused Tsipa of being smelly following the “months of taking care of elderly white women in the United Kingdom.”
“Ungasiye bhora uchinoita basa rekunogeza chembere? Mupfanha iwewe haufunge. (How can you abandon football to go and bath grannies? There is something wrong with your thinking),” where Kutyauripo’s exact words to Tsipa.
Tsipa exploded, head butted Kutyauripo and was duly sent for an early shower.
It will also be interesting to hear what Luke Masomere has to say about the defender he accused of masterminding a player revolt that pushed him out of Caps United in tears.
Although he might not be ranked as one of the most talented lads that Zimbabwe has ever produced, Kutyauripo is up there with the best when it comes to mental strength and work ethic.
This is the guy who could afford to focus on the game while his then wife perfomed the “sele” dance for drooling male Caps United fans in the stands.
How about that for real focus?
The opposition always chided Kutyauripo saying he was married to a whore, he hit back saying Monica (May her soul rest in peace) was no loose woman.
“Maybe your mother is,” Kutyauripo would add during the verbal wars.
But for all his mental strength, the man who cut his teeth at Air Zimbabwe and Circle United could not last long in Europe, spending just two years in Cyprus before coming back home to join DeMbare.
Does the tale sound familiar?
Yes, it does.
Several Zimbabwean players have found the going tough in Europe and sought the sanctuary of home or the razzmatazz of the Absa Premiership.
Energy Murambadoro ran out of energy in Israel and came back to Caps United before trekking down South.
Ovidy Karuru shockingly left France for Kaizer Chiefs, Walter Musona and Wisdom Mutasa fled Slovenia while Onismor Bhasera dumped English outfit Plymouth Argyle for Bidvest Wits.
Imagine how strong our national team would be had all the above mentioned players stuck it out in Europe.
But that’s a bone for another day, today is about Kutyauripo.
And the message is …thanks Diva for giving us memories, both good and bad.
Now that’s a Game Plan
The ZBC TV football magazine programme Game Plan has a refreshing new look, thanks to some input from some Chinese guys.
That’s a huge plus, we now hope for better input from the panelists.
VaShagare exits the scene!
VaShagare is the founder of DeMbare DotComs and can be contacted on that facebook page as well as the email shagare18area.gmail.com
Online Reporter