‘We played for fun, we loved the game and we got better’

Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube

MAPLENI Nyathi has a rare distinction of having played for Bulawayo Wanderers, Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints in the 1970s.

The three teams had different founding values and crossing the path to play for one was unfathomable but to play for all three, a big accomplishment that the 75-year-old achieved in his career.

While Majuta Mpofu is widely regarded as the greatest Bulawayo Wanderers (later renamed Eagles) prodigy, many bring up the name of Mapleni Nyathi now an unassuming grandfather who lives in Bulawayo’s Pumula East suburb.

He was a gifted footballer who used his left foot to good effect and could not be counted out with his right leg and hence could play all attacking positions though he was mainly used as a left winger, attacking midfielder (Number 8) back in the day.

Growing up in the Bulawayo Wanderers/Eagles set up Itai Masawi says Nyathi’s name was high up there in the legends’ list.

“He played ahead of our time, by the time I started playing for the juniors, he had long retired but is held in high esteem in our club’s corridors of infamy,” said Masawi the secretary-general of the club’s former players association.

Born on 11 January 1950, at Mpilo Central Hospital then the Old Memorial Building housed at the now Immigration  Offices in Bulawayo, he lived his early days in Makokoba before his parents moved to Njube around 1955 and 1956, first living in “H” Square then “G” and finally “A”. 

He attended Mtshede Primary School, where he showed glimpses of what was to come playing on a team with Aloyi Gurure and Rabson Nyoni. Insukamini and Induba schools were their nemesis. Growing up close to the youth club at Mabutweni, Nyathi was introduced to youth club activities and they took him away from a life of crime among youths. But that was at a cost because more often he got lashes for absconding from family chores.

“I grew up loving the game of football. I would disappear early in the morning to join friends at the club and we would play soccer all day. But that came at a cost as my mother would want to send me on family errands only to discover that I was not around very early in the morning. On return I would get a spanking but eventually she gave up. Football was my life,” said Nyathi who joined Bulawayo Wanderers in his early teens.

“They were the club from our neighbourhood. It was only natural that we play for the team next to us and I started with the team’s juniors and rose until the late 1960s when I was promoted to the first team which Mr Underhill coached and later Ronny Maseko took over.

“We played for fun, we loved the game and we got better because we were committed to our craft and respected it and our team leaders,” said Nyathi. Nyathi was so good that he was compared to Barry Daka of Highlanders,  a midfield maestro who despite his brilliance never played for the national team.  He was even nicknamed “Barry Daka.”

“It was an honour to be compared to a very good player. I was very good too,” said Nyathi.

When he joined Wanderers in the late 1960s they were playing in Bafa and rose to the regional Division Two League where they played against teams like John Walker Chikapula Phiri’s City Pirates, Matabeleland Highlanders, Cobras and Rex.

“Bafa had very good competition. There was competitive and exciting football in the leagues and we had players like Lawrence Phiri, Daka, Billy Sibanda, Edward Dzowa playing against us. We were to meet in Division Two and later in the national league when North and South Region were introduced in 1973,” said Nyathi.

At Wanderers he played alongside defenders Goliath Masuku, Alton Mpofu, Maseko and Elias Khumalo.

“In attack I had Jani Nyoni, Rabson Nyoni with whom I had already played with at school (Mtshede) and Moses Moyo. In  1973 we joined the premier division and played against teams like Mashonaland United, Gwayi River Mine, Kamativi, Gwelo United and Hippo Valley,” said Nyathi. Nyathi played for Zimbabwe Saints briefly but a cultural change ensured he did not stay long.

“While everything seemed okay, there were simmering ethical differences and I was not surprised when our leaders were released they called for the abandonment of Mashonaland United and Matabeleland Highlanders,” said Nyathi. So in 1975 Matabeleland Highlanders became Highlanders and Mashonaland United, Zimbabwe Saints to ease tribal ill-feeling and concentrate on fighting the Ian Smith’s regime.

What followed next after returning to Bulawayo Wanders was a move to Highlanders where he stayed for two years before retiring at 26.

At Highlanders Nyathi played alongside Josiah Nxumalo, James Nxumalo, Majuta Mpofu, Boet Van Ays, Ananias Dube, Douglas Mloyi, Billy  Sibanda and Lawrence Phiri.

“I had a good time at Highlanders and enjoyed playing for the club. It is good that in my career I played for Highlanders, Bulawayo Wanderers and Zimbabwe Saints, teams that have been the biggest in our city and region. I am lucky to have rubbed shoulders with the likes of Lawrence Phiri, Majuta Mpofu, Rabson Nyoni and Moses Moyo,” said Nyathi.

On why he retired early Nyathi said he had outgrown the love to stay a player and wanted to concentrate on his wife Agnes and children.

Nyathi says the passion has been lost in the game and believes a majority of the players lack basics and incentivising.

He said in the past companies motivated players by giving them security through jobs and other perks.

He decried the death of the youth club system.

“Parents and community leaders must ensure we return to youth clubs and get kids putting a lot of hours into their skills development. Zifa club and academy football falls short, players must play many matches to improve their skills on their own before being polished up by coaches.

“You go to a match and you end up with your back to the game because there is no good passing and dribbling. We passed the ball well and dribbled which is something that you do not see often nowadays,” said Nyathi.

Nyathi admired George Shaya, Rob Jordan whom he described as having been a very good goalkeeper, Nyaro Mumba, Barry Daka and Tymon Mabaleka.

He described Lawrence Phiri as having been the toughest defender he ever faced.

“He was big, tall, fit and read the game well,” said Nyathi.

His wife who joined the interviewing proceedings midway, said she used to follow his games a lot and will never forget the day he scored four goals against Bruce Mawa’s Rangers.

“He scored four goals at Ross Camp against Rangers, Wanderers won 6-0,” said Agnes nee Mhlanga.

Nyathi was called up to join the Rhodesia national team in 1973 that faced a visiting British side.

“It was an honour to be called up alongside Gibson Homela, a very talented player who had tried to help me settle at Zimbabwe Saints.”

Nyathi is father to Sithini, Ndabezinhle, Florence, Ndabazabo (deceased), Mkhululi, Sinqobile, Thandolwenkosi, Mbonisi and Sinobukhosi.