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Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
IN Hwange they have a very popular Nyanja adage that says, ‘Bhora nikushosha’ meaning football is all about scoring for if you don’t score you are likely not to win. The world over it’s known that football is all about scoring and nothing else. Yes other components also contribute to this great sporting discipline but Hwange locals coined this adage not by mistake but because their idols used to do that with ruthless efficiency.
They realised that after the likes of Vitalis Kamocha, Night Mathe, Barton Mwaluluka and a host of others finally hung up their boots, goals were no longer coming as often as possible.
The scarcity of goals did not only affect Hwange as such but probably the whole nation as our strikers suddenly found themselves goal shy, choosing to run away from the nets instead of invading them.
Over the last couple of years we have seen a player winning the Golden Boot award with a paltry 14 goals like Dynamos’ Rodrick Mutuma who won the award in 2011. But then even those that had won it in previous years or even after him, have not really reached the heights set by the likes of Maronga “the Bomber” Nyangela, Moses Chunga, Shackman Tauro, Madinda Ndlovu and recently Zenzo Moyo, Alois Bunjira and even Agent Sawu upon his return from Europe.
This year’s Castle Lager Golden Boot winner, Tendai Ndoro, formerly at Chicken Inn but now at the Absa Premiership side Empumalanga Black Aces in South Africa, has 18 goals, the same as the 2012 winner Nelson Maziwisa of FC Platinum.
What is the reason behind all this? Are our defenders more technical than the yesteryear ones or we simply lack talented strikers?
Former Zimbabwe Saints and national team captain Ephraim Chawanda seems to agree that we no longer have talented hitmen in the land.
“It’s because they are less talented, give me a winger like Madinda Ndlovu or Joe Machingura. Give me a poacher like Shackman Tauro, we no longer have such talent,” said the 1988 Soccer Star of the Year.
David Phiri, former national team and Hwange defender, believes the youngsters are no longer goal hungry and are scared of taking risks than the yesteryear stars.
He also says pride has taken over their zeal to score goals hence they always want to score spectacular goals that will be the talk of the town for weeks.
“I think they are not that hungry, very timid to take risks, and they always want to score spectacular goals that will be the talk of the town for weeks. They are also very much wary of injuries.
I recall one striker, Maronga Nyangela, not that skillful, but how I hated playing against him.
“He was very aggressive and could score from anywhere with any part of his body. Today’s strikers lack all that, pride has crept in,” said the tall former Hwange coach who is popularly known as Bra Di in the Colliery circles.
But exactly what makes a good striker?
Stephen Darwin, a football writer for SoccerLens believes there are five key attributes that make a good striker.
1.Finishing
We are all aware that the primary objective of a striker tends to be finding the back of the net so the finishing attribute is clearly of great importance. Those strikers with high finishing will be more efficient in hitting the target and troubling the goalkeeper. Low finishers on the other hand will be more prone to missing the proverbial sitter.
2.Composure
While the finishing attribute refers to a player’s ability to hit the target on a consistent basis, composure is all about their knack of keeping a cool head. This is clearly vital when your striker is through on goal with a chance of scoring as a high composure attribute will see them keep their head rather than buckling under the pressure.
3.Off The Ball
A player’s ability to find space and move off the ball can be just as important as their decisions with the ball at their feet. The ‘Off The Ball’ attribute is associated with a player’s movement which can be vital for a striker that is looking to drag defenders away and create space for themselves and others around them.
4.Technique
A striker with decent technique is always a good thing. The more technically astute your front man is, the more comfortable he will undoubtedly be with the ball at his feet. A player with high technique will have a better chance of executing that intricate volley or curling shot at goal.
5. Anticipation
Anticipation refers to how well a player can predict and react to an event. Therefore a striker that can anticipate situations is more likely to be in the right place at the right time to gobble up that goalmouth opportunity. Works particularly well in tandem with the ‘Off The Ball’ attribute.
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