Wanted: lethal boots

By Sikhumbuzo Moyo
IF it was a movie, especially those western cowboys ones, the poster would probably read: Wanted – top gunman!
But for the Zimbabwean situation where we do not deal with guns in the world of football, what is really needed is a pair or pairs of lethal boots that would make defenders and the opposition tremble whenever players with such lethal boots are in possession of the ball.
We are talking here about top class strikers at the level of Peter Ndlovu, Agent Sawu, Adam Ndlovu, Vitalis Takawira, Tauya “Doctor” Murehwa, Moses Chunga, George Shaya, Stanley Ndunduma, among a host of yesteryear hitmen. These players used to score more than 20 goals per season and as a result there was stiff competition for the Golden Boot Award.  Chunga is reported to have scored a massive 46 goals in one season, although many argue that it was because even cup games were considered then.
In the last decade the likes of Zenzo Moyo (23 in 2000), Thabani Masawi, Norman Maroto, who scored 21 goals in 2010, Evans Chikwaikwai  (23 in 2008) quickly come to mind. Those were really goal hungry strikers and a simple check at the final number of goals scored by their teams come end of season will prove that the teams had real gunmen. Besides the winner other strikers would also score as many goals but still fail to land the top prize.
In 2002, third placed AmaZulu hit the nets 63 times while champions Highlanders forced their various opponents to pick the ball a combined 55 times from the nets. On second place was army side Black Rhinos who hit the nets 53 times, what with the likes of Lazarus Muhoni and Robson Chisango scoring almost week in and week out.
The previous year in 2001, AmaZulu, who came second behind Bosso, scored 53 times with 73 goals being scored by Highlanders during the first year of their four-year dominance of local football.
However, many would wonder what has hit our strikers of late, especially with our Golden Boot winner, Dynamos’ Roderick Mutuma bagging a mere 14 goals which go with a cool $3 000!
The top two scoring teams in the league, DeMbare and Makepekepe have 44 goals each after a gruelling season that had 30 games. Some might say it’s a fair number of goals but wait a minute, Madinda Ndlovu’s Botswana side Mochudi Centre Chiefs have played just 13 games in the season but his boys have scored a massive 49 goals already.
A few years back some could have dismissed the Botswana league but not today. The Zebras will be playing in the prestigious Africa Nations Cup, recognised by Fifa while our boys will be kicking the ball in Tanzania on Monday at the Cecafa Tournament, which is on an invitational basis.
“I think our coaches are to blame for this lethargic show by our strikers. I don’t think there are any drills specifically for strikers like during our days,” said former Highlanders gunman, Zenzo Moyo.
He said during their days, strikers would start training an hour before the rest of the team so that they get more time practising.
“We knew how to position ourselves, say if the ball was on the left wing, you will know how to run and position yourself,” said Moyo.
The 2000 Soccer Star of the Year dismissed suggestions that strikers were scoring less because teams now have better defenders compared to yesteryear. He said it was not true because during their days, they used to have a sweeper who would make life difficult for strikers but nowadays it was one versus one, making it easier for a good striker who could dribble.
Moyo’s sentiments were echoed by former Highlanders midfielder and now Luveve Big Eleven coach Amin Soma-Phiri, who said the blame lies squarely with the coaches.
“A striker needs special training but our coaches are not teaching these youngsters how to score. When I was with Bosso I sometimes did not train with the rest of the guys as I would come early and train under the watchful eyes of Cosmas Zulu or Barry Daka,” said Soma-Phiri.
He said by the time the rest of the guys came, he would have completed his training.
“We also used to be given a target by our coaches that if you do not score a certain number of goals then you are not fit to be part of the Highlanders system. So all I am saying is that our coaches should treat the strikeforce as a special unit,” he said.
Soma-Phiri said coaches should have special programmes for strikers, even if  it meant giving the boys 20 balls to score in an empty net.
“I would not want to buy this silly notion that we don’t have talent, we have it in abundance but our coaches do not want to treat the strikeforce, just like the goalkeeping area as a special area yet most clubs have a goalkeepers’ trainer,” said Soma-Phiri.