Online Reporter
FORMER Highlanders assistant coach and manager Cosmas Zulu says Willard Khumalo remains the best ever anchorman for the club.
He said Khumalo had the physique, skill, leadership and right temperament to carry the weight expected of a Highlanders star and captain.
“Khumalo understood the position of an anchorman that all play was dictated by him. He mopped up in front of defence, started attacks, with one twos, switched play to the wing and supported, could spot space for Madinda Ndlovu to play the ball to and be on hand for a squared in cross or rebounds. It was common to have Willard score double figure goals in a season,” said Zulu from
Ngezi yesterday.
He said people need to understand what anchoring is.
“It is that which holds the ship from floating away at a harbour and Willard understood precisely his role and delivered on it. He looked at central defenders and provided cover for them, he controlled the game and won Highlanders great things,” said Zulu.
He said Khumalo excelled at creating three to four-men moves and knew what he was there for on the field.
“Willard knew that his role was to support defence by not playing in front of midfielders, first person when we lost the ball to command how we defended was Willard calling guys to track back, lessen numbers for defenders to face, that also helped when we won back as our forwards will be within range for his diagonal passes on the odd through ball to Adam Ndlovu, Tobias
Mudyambanje or Nhamo Shambira. He knew who needed the ball where, with Madinda it was space, with Shambira on his feet,” said Zulu.
The veteran gaffer who has been associated with the club since 1981, has seen several generations of Highlanders anchormen and puts his money on Khumalo without a blink.
“Another thing Khumalo had vision of the whole pitch because of his game reading and game intelligence coupled with good positioning. Willard comes close to William Sibanda the other best anchorman, who had great command in midfield, physique, ability to play to instruction, pass with both inside and outside of feet,” said Zulu.
Zulu spoke of another yesteryear great Stanley Nyika.
“He had poor heading ability and at the end did not protect his defence. He was good with carrying the ball and often lost possession with stray passes while Willard rarely through away possession. Willard did everything perfectly with a technical brain. For us he was a coach and a player. Yes, Nyika had his good days at the club but not your conventional anchorman of this era,” said Zulu.
Of Benjamin Mpofu, who arrived from Rio Tinto in 1990 to fill in the void left by Willard Khumalo who had left for Germany with Tito Paketh and Madinda Ndlovu, Zulu described him as a grinder.
“He was a guy who could grind everything, he had something we did not have at our disposal in our juniors and reserve team, he had something different, he could run on a straight line, mark and defend superbly, win possession in front of defence and start play. He had brilliant work-rate,” said Zulu.
As Khumalo gained weight, Mpofu became a good supporting act, staying behind once the former Zimbabwe anchorman ventured forward.
David Mhlanga, the Highlanders anchorman at Independence did not come for much mention from Zulu.
Zulu described Amin Soma-Phiri as a good pick to anchor, coming in to destroy if the opposition was firing on all cylinders late into the match. He could be trusted because of his work-rate and command on the field to steady up things and help with aerial balls clearing before they go to the centrebacks Alexander Maseko and Douglas Mloyi.
“Amin never wanted to lose, he had the big match temperament like Willard and always a good bet, while he came in solely to anchor his presence upfront especially on corners gave us goals.
Nqobizitha Maenzanise
“He was a very good player, I even took him to AmaZulu,” said Zulu of the former Warriors captain.
Another colourful player to anchorman for Highlanders was Benjamin Nkonjera. He may not have been big and physical in tackles, but filled the hole well.
“He was a fox, very clever but too quiet for an anchormen. The things he was doing on field needed a clever coach and I am happy Reinhard Fabisch saw the quality in him and made him a key player in the Dream Team. But his best position was behind the strikers,” said Zulu.
Zulu described Rahman Gumbo as one of the most versatile players they ever worked with.
He was tried in several positions and even when moved to a striker where he delivered with aplomb.
“He was so intelligent and versatile. He could do anything on the pitch, win possession, start attacks with his chewing gum slow motion movements, send through good passes. As an anchorman he did well for us because he understood the role having played as a defender at Cosmos and Eagles,” said Zulu.
Another forgotten star in Highlanders colours is Sifiso Mguni.
“He was so good, however so quiet for that position because of his natural character. The role needs someone who can command,” said Zulu.
Mguni later had a good career at Black Rhinos and earned a national team call up.
As for Makheyi Nyathi, Zulu said he was more like Nkonjera but a bit tougher on the tackle but he too lacked leadership qualities to command midfield.
Perhaps it may have been asking too much to command the galaxy of stars the club had at some stage, who were even bigger club heroes.
Tito Paketh was described as a big deal whom he compared to Willard Khumalo in terms of talent and thinking capacity.
“Once on the filed he knew what coaches wanted, read game well, dictated pace with ease and read opponents’ game very well and changed them to what Bosso wanted. Tactical in any role Tito was superb, I knew him from our time together at Olympics,” said Zulu.
