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Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
MERCEDES Sibanda who died in Bulawayo in 2002 will go down in history as having been one of Highlanders and Zimbabwe’s best right-backs ever.
To many, he was the ultimate right-back and footballer.
Goalkeepers feared his stinging shots, while strikers met their match and on the other half defenders knew trouble was on the way when he ventured into attack with Titus Majola and Madinda Ndlovu on the right wing.
It is no surprise that he became the second right-back to be crowned Soccer Star of the Year. He had to fit into the shoes of another great player, the legendary Ziscosteel right-back James Takavada in the early 1980s.
Both players were at some stage regarded as one of the best right-backs on the continent because of their defensive qualities, timely overlaps and superb crosses into the danger area.
Sibanda, nicknamed Rambo after his movie hero Sylvester Stallone and because of his well-built calves and biceps, went one up over Takavada, his charisma and hard shots endeared him with home fans and those from the opposite sides.
Sibanda who died at the age of 37, had a colourful career for both club and country and was even sought after beyond the country’s borders and came close to playing for Mamelodi Sundowns in 1991 and could have been part of a cast that had Harris Choeu, Sam Khambule, Chippa Masinga, Bennet Masinga, Joas Magolego, Ernest Chirwali, Chancy Gondwe, Daniel Mudau, Nelson Bandura, Alexander Maseko and Mark Anderson under the late Stanley “Screammer” Tshabalala.
A failed medical stopped him from a “dream move” and that meant staying at Highlanders where at the twilight of his career, he left for Blackpool in Harare.
He was your typical Mzilikazi boy, streetwise on and off the streets.
It all began at the boys’ club in Mzilikazi where he played with his section boys informally and with the aid of a youth leader at Mzilikazi.
He attended the local primary school and his secondary school days have never been spoken of.
Perhaps it is no surprise that his best friends from childhood include legendary Willard Khumalo and Sydney Zimunya. With the duo they won many junior titles and the trio became an integral component of the Zimbabwe Under-20 team in the mid-1980s with Rambo moved to right-back by Peter Nyama going on to establish himself as the right-back in all age group national teams and Highlanders.
Many fans recall a thuggish big fellow at the heart of the Bosso Under-16 and 18 teams from 1981-84, who was nicknamed Scania after Bosso’s bone cruncher of the era, Henry Jones.
Jones, a right-back took no prisoners, was solid and rough in defence and quick on the break during counter attacks with him overlapping superbly to whip in crosses.
Sibanda played for the Highlanders juniors alongside Lovejoy Mugadza, Oliver Ncube, Summer Ncube, Willard Khumalo, Abraham Senda, CB Mahlangu, Sydney Zimunya, a side that even dominated the Matabeleland North Under-18 team that was ever-present in the Coca-Cola Inter-Provincial Championships.
Madinda Ndlovu, Highlanders’ best player in the decade 1981-1990, admits that Sibanda did not have it easy getting into the first team.
“There was fierce competition from Fanuel Ncube who was our right-back. He did not have it easy and had to fight hard to get considered for the position.
“It was not until after he had impressed with the Under-20 national team that he got his chance,” said the legendary winger.
Sibanda would go on to be the most colourful of the Bosso rearguards because of his well-trimmed sporting image, his work rate and his shots playing on the right of goalkeepers, Joseph Tembo and Peter Nkomo, centre-backs Alexander Maseko, Richard Ndlovu, Simon Ncube and Douglas Mloyi with Dumisani Nyoni seemingly permanent on the left wing since 1984.
But by 1985, Sibanda had risen to be the trusted man at right-back and would lose narrowly to Moses Chunga in a season he shone and was behind some brilliant free-kicks with cousin Willard Khumalo.
The free-kicks had a touch of ingenuity and class and both stars in that 1986 season made it to the calendar behind the best man Moses Chunga.
Sibanda’s form did not dip but continued on the rise and in 1987 he was duly crowned Soccer Star of the Year.
While 1986 saw Highlanders win all silverware on display except the title, Sibanda, Madinda, Khumalo, Maseko and Peter Nkomo were outstanding combining with Tito Paketh, Simon Ncube, Dumisani Nyoni, Tobias Mudyambanje to clinch all other titles except the Chibuku Trophy and league title.
Madinda said the Rothmans Shield won 1-0 over Zimbabwe Saints was one of Sibanda’s best after he unleashed a ferocious shot to beat John Sibanda in goal for Zimbabwe Saints on an afternoon he had contended well with Shayne Khamal and Joseph Machingura in the Saints attack.
In 1989 Sibanda and Rahman Gumbo had a short stint at Rainders in Denmark and are believed to have been dropped by the club for indiscipline.
The pair liked their brown bottle.
He returned to guide Highlanders to a historic league and cup double in 1990 being among the senior players with Nyoni and Maseko as Paketh, Madinda and Khumalo were playing in Germany.
After taking over the right-back position from the likes of Takavada and Garnett Muchongwe, Rambo made the position his before the emergence of competition from the likes of Paul Gundani and Carlos Max but more often he would find himself preferred.
He became Reinhard Fabisch’s preferred choice in the Dream Team and was on hand at Bosso to guide a youthful team to the 1993 league title and the BP League Cup in 1994.
With age catching up on Boy Ndlovu, Madinda, Khumalo, Rahman Gumbo, Peter Nkomo, Nyoni and himself, Sibanda hung on up to 1999 when a rare appearance forced him to move to Blackpool where he lasted six months and that forced him into retirement.
Sibanda was under the weather from about 2000 till his death in 2002, which brought down curtains to a life well lived by one of the game’s most adored sons, Mercedes Sibanda.
Madinda spoke highly of Rambo’s talent saying he had a great time with him and they won virtually all the league had to offer.
“One time we were in Hwange playing against Wankie and Rambo hit a hard shot that tore the nets. That time it was soon after George Rollo had done the same. Officials had a torrid time and they had to go to the nets to confirm with one saying it was a goal and the other saying it was not.
“He was outstanding for national teams. He was so good that he was rated among the best Eleven in Africa. He was the only Zimbabwean selected and that says how much he put into the national team. Rambo had good muscles and death has no respect,” said Madinda.
Mkhulunyelwa Ndlovu, a Bosso volunteer better known as Bhibhiza described Rambo as having been a very good player who put up a good shift for the Highlanders cause every time he entered the field.
As a member of the team’s close security and special projects wing, Bhibhiza has many fond memories of Highlanders and Rambo.
“I knew him from the juniors. He was a very good player, he had a big match temperament. We won tournaments through Rambo,” said Bhibhiza.
Peter Nkomo who played with Rambo for close to a decade and won two championships and all soccer tournaments with Highlanders 1980-1993, also reminisced over the times spent with Rambo a youngster he had also played a role in convincing to come to Bosso.
Nkomo said he had played with Rambo at the Youth Club despite being senior and was impressed with what he saw of him.
“I took them to Highlanders, he was a very good player, he had discipline, if he was not there in the team I would not be comfortable. Once he was in the team, he established himself. I used to socialise with him and Willard Khumalo, they were my boys,” said Nkomo.
Renowned soccer commentator Charles Mabika has Mercedes Sibanda as the best Warriors right-back in a star-studded X1 that features Japhet Mparutsa and Oliver Kateya.
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