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Sharuko On Saturday
THERE is so much to like, and so much to write, about Lucas Radebe, the gentle giant who emerged from the tough gang-infested streets of Soweto, to become a Leeds legend.
Such has been his profound influence on the English city he once turned into his adopted home, they still name their sons after him.
And, such has been his amazing impact, on the football club, which is this city’s heart and soul, they still use him as a reference point, for both professionalism and heroism.
Sixteen years after his time as a Leeds United player ended, some fans still sing his name in honour of a leader they loved, and one who also loved them.
There have been some great romances, between African footballers and the European clubs they played for, over the years.
In Bolton, for instance, they will never forget Jay Jay Okocha, who turned football into box-office theatre, leaving them with memories, which will last a lifetime.
But, it’s very unlikely there will ever be a stronger relationship, between an African footballer, and the European club he starred for, than the one between Radebe and Leeds United.
Just last month, a mural in honour of the South African legend was unveiled by the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust, in the city.
When one takes into account the fact that Radebe left the club 16 years ago, it brings home the special nature of this relationship.
Maybe, when one dedicates his entire European adventure to one club, the way Radebe did, spending 11 years at Leeds, it builds a solid foundation for a beautiful romance.
When that player also transforms himself into their captain, their leader during an amazing adventure, when their club went all the way to the Champions League semi-finals, the bond gets stronger.
And, when they know he arrived at a bargain buy-one-get-two players £250 000 deal, which also brought Phil Masinga to Elland Road, it has this capacity to ensure their bond probably lasts forever.
They read his biography and it tells them of the misery he endured, where it “was so dark and miserable,’’ as he struggled to adjust to life at Leeds, in his first days.
Those were the days when Radebe, and Masinga would spend hours at a payphone, just to try and connect with home, as a way of dealing with their misery.
“The phone took 50 pence pieces and we’d open it up and pinch the coins and put them back in,’’ Radebe reflects, in his autobiography,
“I was homesick, training every day, and not getting a game.”
And, when they now consider he ended up staying with them for 11 years, makes them appreciate his resilience, and commitment to their cause, even more.
They read about his tough upbringing, in Soweto, where the street gangs were the kings, the tale of when he was shot but survived to tell them about how “the bullet went into my back, and out of my thigh, and didn’t touch any vital organs.’’
Thanks, to his autobiography, they know he was one of 10 children, who lived in a four-roomed house in Soweto, during a dangerous time, when the cruelty of apartheid, meant this township was a minefield for violence.
“There was a lot of violence and corruption, lots of students died, others were in jail,’’ he said.
“I managed to live through that until my parents thought I might end up like one of my friends, so they shipped me out.”
That he ended up rising from all that, and becoming their inspirational captain, makes them appreciate him even more.
For a club, which fielded the first black player, in the FA Cup final, when Albert Johanneson, played for them, in the 1965 showcase against Liverpool, at Wembley, Leeds United can’t be accused of faking their love for Radebe.
Ironically, Johanneson was also a South African, from Germiston.
“I WILL GO FOR ZIM, I THINK THEY HAVE PLAYED WELL’’
On Tuesday night, during the 2021 AFCON draw in Yaounde, “The Chief,’’ as Radebe is affectionately known, was asked to pick his favourite for the tournament, set for Cameroon, next January.
But, after saying Nigeria sounded like a good bet, Radebe decided to go with his heart, with a surprise choice of an underdog, which drew a warm response from the guests, packed in that auditorium.
“Nigeria, it sounds good,’’ Radebe said. “But, I will go for Zimbabwe, I will go for Zim, I think they have played well to have gotten into these qualifying stages, not by a fluke.
“That’s one of the most promising teams we have seen.’’
Never have a few words from a South African football legend meant so much to so many throughout this Land of the Warriors.
The reaction, from the Zimbabweans who were following the draw, on the various digital platforms, was not only swift but told the story of the joy, which the sheer power of Radebe’s words had brought, to most of them.
His words even carry their weight in gold when one considers it didn’t matter to him that, in just a few weeks’ time, we are set to take on Bafana Bafana, in a 2022 World Cup qualifier. Someone else would probably have chosen that big stage to mock us, to start a psychological war against us and to probably tell us that we were just at the AFCON finals, to make up the numbers.
But, Radebe is different.
The time for him to take sides, and stand in his corner, as a proud South Africa, will come on September 3, when we take on Bafana Bafana.
This was a different stage, where projecting the image of our football, in Southern Africa, was more important than the rivalry, which exists between our two national teams.
This was about reminding them that this part of Africa — which has produced great players like Kalusha Bwalya — will have a strong representative at the next AFCON finals.
Even in the absence of Bafana Bafana and Chipolopolo.
And, leading that cause, will once again be the Zimbabwe Warriors.
You can understand why we have charmed him, why his belief in us, to possibly make a big impression in Cameroon, runs very deep and why it is based on reality, and not fantasy.
Qualifying for three straight finals isn’t a fluke.
Especially, against a background where Chipolopolo, who won the 2012 Nations Cup title in Gabon, have been missing on all those three occasions.
And, also, against a background, too, where twice, in those three AFCON finals, Bafana Bafana have also been missing from the showcase.
Some will rightly ask, how can a team, which relies mostly on players from South Africa, hope to make an impression at a tournament where most of the stars will come from Europe?
Well, Radebe knows it doesn’t always mean the best African players will make it into Europe or that, in the case of those who make the grade, it’s a confirmation of their greatness.
After all, Doctor Khumalo, as excellent as he was, never played in Europe while someone like Old John, Mbulelo Mabizela, somehow, ended up at Tottenham Hotspur.
Inevitably, his contract was cancelled, after just nine appearances.
Now, and again, one also needs a lucky break, to get his breakthrough.
And, Radebe knows that for all his legendary status at Leeds United, Howard Wilkinson, who was the manager when he arrived, didn’t appear to believe in him.
Which means that, if it had been left for Wilkinson to make the decision, in terms of his recruitment from Kaizer Chiefs, in 1994, it’s unlikely his whole English adventure would probably have happened.
Wilkinson gave him only 12 league appearances, in his first season at Leeds and, in September 1996, the manager was sacked and replaced by George Graham.
For Radebe, this was a game-changer, in his journey towards immortality and, during the 1996/1997 season, he featured in 32 league matches.
Radebe should also be trusted, when it comes to the South African Premiership because, week-in-and-week-out, he has the privilege of a ringside seat, to watch the quality of our boys, in action.
He also remembers that, at the last AFCON finals, the goal which powered Bafana Bafana to a stunning 1-0 win over hosts Egypt, in a Round of 16 match at the Cairo International Stadium, was not scored by a star based in Europe.
Instead, that decisive blow came from a forward based in South Africa, Thembinkosi Lorch, who plays for Orlando Pirates.
So, while Lorch and Bafana Bafana qualified for the quarter-finals, Mohamed Salah, one of the world’s best players, and his Pharaohs, were left to lick their wounds.
CHIPOLOPOLO’S FINEST HOUR, TENTH ANNIVERSARY
THE next AFCON finals are coming on the 10th anniversary of Chipolopolo’s finest hour, when they defied 40/1 odds, to transform themselves into the Kings of African football.
Sadly, the Zambians will not be in Cameroon to try and win another AFCON title, exactly a decade after they came of age, in the city where, until their stunning triumph, had represented their darkest hour.
Libreville, Gabon!
This is where Zambian football was supposed to die, on that April day in 1993, when a plane carrying the country’s finest footballers, came down and plunged into the Atlantic, killing everyone on board.
But, this is where Zambian football came back, with a bang, as if inspired by the spirit of those they lost, in that tragedy, as Chipolopolo were crowned champions of Africa.
In the final, they found themselves against the odds-on favourites, the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire, led by the immortal Didier Drogba and, for many neutrals, this was something like Mission Impossible.
But, the Zambians found a way to win the showdown 8-7, in a penalty shootout, after goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene had saved Drogba’s penalty, earlier in the match.
Now, this is what should remind us that Radebe had not lost his senses, on Tuesday night, when he decided to give the Warriors the benefit of doubt with his prediction.
In 2012, Mweene was at Free State Stars, Isaac Chansa was at Orlando Pirates, Davies Nkasu was at SuperSport United, Joseph Musonda was at Golden Arrows, and they all started in that final.
Rainford Kalaba, Hijani Himonde and Stophile Sunzu were all at TP Mazembe while Nathan Sinkala was based at home, playing for Green Buffaloes.
Captain Felix Katongo had just moved from South Africa to China and Chisamba Lungu was in Russia, not at CSKA Moscow or Zenit St Petersburg, but at Ural Yekaterinburg.
The two substitutes they used, in that final, Felix Katongo (Green Buffaloes) and Nyambe Mulenga (Zesco United), both played in the Zambian league.
Now, the All-Star XI, which the Ivoirians fielded in their starting XI, were all based in Europe.
Drogba (Chelsea), Boubacar Barry (Lokeren, Belgium), Jean-Jacques Gosso (Valenciennes, France), Kolo Toure (Man City), Yaya Toure (Man City), Sol Bamba (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Siaka Tiene (PSG, France), Didier Zokora (Trabzonspor, Turkey), Cheick Tiote (Newcastle, England), Gervinho (Arsenal, England) and Salomon Kalou (Chelsea, England).
Even the substitutes were all based in Europe — Max Gradel (St Etienne, France0, Didier Ya Konan (Hannover, Germany), Wilfried Bony (Vitesse, Netherlands).
But, after two hours of action, it was goalless and, when it came to the penalty lottery, it was the unfashionable players, who held their nerve.
While Radebe charmed all of us, it will be foolish, on our part, to forget that, while we might have the players who, as a team, can compete against the best on the continent, concerns remain about the man who will guide us in Cameroon.
Zdravko Logarusic will be making his debut, at the AFCON finals, as a coach, as raw and lightweight as they come.
And, for those who believe in the value of local coaches, the Croat’s first game in Cameroon will pit him against a man who is turning himself into a doyen of African coaches.
His name is Aliou Cisse, who captained Senegal at the 2002 World Cup finals, took them to the 2018 World Cup finals and to the final game of the last AFCON finals.
In the six years, in which Cisse has been in charge of the Lions of Teranga, Loga has coached AFC Leopards of Kenya.
He left the club when he said he was forced to return home to Croatia, after being evicted from the apartment he was staying, “because no one was taking care of his rent.’’
He also spent a year in Angola, at Interclube, before returning to Ghana, as coach of Asante Kotoko, where his tactics didn’t appeal to the fans.
And, after a clash with the club’s management, he dubbed them “liars,’’ and left.
Loga then surfaced in Sudan where he took the country to third place, at the 2018 CHAN finals, which caught the attention of ZIFA.
The problem is that Ian Gorowa took his Warriors, into fourth place, at the 2014 CHAN finals.
That was in January, that year but, just six months later, he had left his job.
To God Be The Glory!
Peace to the GEPA Chief, the Big Fish, George Norton, Daily Service, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and all the Chakariboys in the struggle.
Come on Warriors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Khamaldinhoooooooooooooooooo!
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