Online Reporter
WHO is the country’s greatest goalkeeper?
Probably a popularity contest answer would prevail as in the past it was more of consensus than the statistics based assessment used nowadays for even the Soccer Star of the Year Selection.
The statistics-based consideration has helped do away with situations where at one time there were three goalkeepers on the calendar.
Zimbabwe has had some very outstanding goalkeepers all with different attributes. Some had charisma, the fans just got charmed and warmed up to them more than their abilities, yet some chose to have their hands and bodies do the talking on the field with good catches, punches, reflexes and great dives to keep their teams in the game.
Before Independence names like Rob Jordan who was in goal when Rhodesia missed qualification to the 1970 World Cup finals by a whisker in a final qualifier that had two replays, is considered one of the best.
There is Adam Maseko called up to the same national team who kept goals for Mashonaland United, William Chirwa (Eastlands), Masiyiwa Sakala (Wankie), Mike Mhlanga (Olympics/Arcadia), Eddie Frano (Mashonaland United/Sables), Musa Muzanenhamo (Zimbabwe Saints), Ananias Dube (Highlanders/Olympics), Victor Dliwayo (Zisco), Zebron Magorimbo (Meikles), Labani Kandi (Dynamos/Rio Tinto), Matthew Mwale (Dynamos), Bruce Grobelaar (Salisbury Callies/ Highlanders), Stephen Chisango (Caps United), Stewart Gilbert (Aracadia), Frank Mkanga (Zisco/Dynamos) and Rex Sheasby (Salisbury Callies).
Throw into perspective the cross-over brigade that played on either side of 1980, Peter Nkomo of Highlanders, Chisango, Dliwayo and Posani Sibanda of Wankie. They were good players worth every penny of the afternoon’s entertainment at stadia.
But the dawn of Independence brought in live coverage of football, dynamic radio commentators who punctuated brilliant saves by the likes of Japhet Mparutsa, Lucky Dube, Peter Nkomo, Joseph Tembo, Johannes Tshuma, Muzondiwa Mugadza, Fanuel Ariberto, Tapuwa Kapini, Dominic Sithole, Lazarus Pararayi, Duncan Ellison, Spencer Ngove, Marvellous Munemo, Chenjerayi Dube, Tafadzwa Dube, Abraham Chimkanga, Andrew Chisunga, Phathisani Hlabangana, Edmore Sibanda, Emmanuel Nyahuma, Tendai Tanyanyiwa and Washington Arubi.
The radio commentators create a vivid picture that made one look forward to the matches and see the goalminders live in action.
Sunday News Leisure reached out to some football personalities about Posani Sibanda.
Amos Rendo, the former Hwange centreback who campaigned in two successful Castle Cup tournaments in 1970 and 1973, argues that Posani was the best of his generation.
“He had no match. He was clearly the best in the land. Posani had every good attribute about a great goalkeeper. With him in goal we were safe and I regard him higher than Masiyiwa Sakala and Joseph
Chimao who were also outstanding for the club,” said Rendo.
Along Rodrick Simwanza and Posani, Rendo were the first Wankie and Matabeleland North-based players to appear on the Castle Lager Soccer Stars of the Year calendar.
A Castle Cup winner with Wankie under famed coach Jack Meagher, who alongside Steven Chuma took him to Chibuku Shumba later to turn to Black Aces, Posani is regarded as one of Zimbabwe’s greatest goalkeepers.
Moderate in stature, Posani was a magnet to some, a monster to forwards who never liked facing him as he would pull out suicidal saves in one-on-one situations, superb in the air and ground and a no nonsense goalkeeper. He was brilliant at organising his defence and not the modern day ball distributor.
Posani was at one stage Rhodesia’s number one goalkeeper. But many remember his seven goals past him by South Africa in 1977 before being replaced in the return match by a young Grobbelaar who was outstanding in the reverse fixture at Rufaro Stadium which ended 1-1.
At Independence in 1980 Posani was called up to the national team but could not get favour ahead of Raphael Phiri and Frank Mkanga who were in top form then.
Pernell Mckop, one of the most promising prospects soon after Independence, drafted into the senior national team at 17 alongside defender Godrey Paradza in 1982, confessed that Posani played before his time. He said the former Wankie goalkeeper faced good competition from the young Grobbelaar.
“Unfortunately he was before my time but he was in direct competition with a young Bruce Grobbelaar for Rhodesia’s number one jersey. That time against the Springboks Posani played in the first game where we lost 7-0 away with Bruce playing the second game at Rufaro, drawing 1 – 1,” said Mckop who played for Cosmos, Arcadia, Zimbabwe Saints, Highlanders and Eagles.
Junior development expert, Dumaza Dube, described Posani as a very good goalkeeper of his time.
“Posani Sibanda was a very good goalminder, his skills were unparalleled by any goalkeeper of his time. Zebron Magorimbo was good but was no match to Sibanda, also there was Musa Muzanenhamo at Zimbabwe Saints who was an exceptional goalkeeper.
Posani and his talented Wankie team seemed like a machine, the unity of purpose in their fluid dynamic play was a marvel to watch. Football was truly a beautiful game,” said Dube, himself a former Olympics and Zimbabwe Saints juniors, Ingwebu, G and D Shoes, Kismet, Border Strikers, Stars United, Wankie and Highlanders striker.
Charles Ndebele, Black Rhinos founding goalkeeper described Posani as agile as a cat.
“In between the goalposts, Posani was like a cat. He rarely punched the ball, he often held it clean as if his hands had glue. Back in the day there were no gloves. He commanded his box well and let no cross fly in front of him.
“He was superb, he could change direction when already airborne if there was a deflection, great goalkeeper indeed,” said Ndebele whose number one jersey was deservingly taken by a man he describes as an excellent goalkeeper Japhet Mparutsa at Black Rhinos.
Former Bosso goalkeeper Smart Moyo who watched Posani on either side of 1980 having joined the armed struggle at the end of 1976, said Posani was a very good goalkeeper.
“He was good, especially in the air, even those deflected balls he was flexible that he could turn his body to save the goal,” said Moyo.
Former Northern Region boss and football coach who is championing the revival of Area Zones football, Francis Zimunya said: “Wow! He was one of the best goalkeepers in the country at that time. I was also a goalkeeper for Chegutu Pirates, Rio Tinto, Black Aces and Proton Stars during that time.
“His strength was quick reflexes. He used to turn mid-air when a ball was deflected, a skill that I emulated and tried to do as well. He was a shot stopper and commanded his 18-yard-box with authority.”
Zimunya said Posani’s rivals for the best goalkeeper in the land back then were Rex Sheasby of Salisbury Callies, Stewart “Skhalo” Gilberts of Arcadia United and Charles Gwatidzo of Dynamos.
“Posani was one of my best goalkeepers in the 1970s. He competed with the likes of Ananias Dube, Zebron Magorimbo, Stewart Gilberts. He was a very, very good goalkeeper. He also played for Chibuku Shumba,” said Nelson Noza who played for Eagles before moving to Botswana and later played in Bophuthwasana in South Africa.
While the debate is live, when the Hall of Fame is set up, Posani will have his unchallenged place for both Hwange and his country.
Posani died two decades ago.
He is the father of former Hwange goalkeeper Timothy Sibanda.
