Zifa polls: The curious case of Peter Ndlovu

Stanford Chiwanga, [email protected]

BY the end of January 2025, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) will have a new president, signalling the end of the Normalisation Committee’s reign. Chances are that the new king at 57 Livingstone Avenue in Harare will be Peter Ndlovu.

Well, that is if he throws his name into the ring for the Zifa presidency. Chances are that he might not. He may. But for now, one of Zimbabwe’s greatest footballers has kept his cards close to his chest. That has not stopped people, on and off social media, from championing his name.

And who can blame them? This is a man who never held Zimbabwe to ransom when he was needed. He never complained, he never downed tools at a time when Zifa was run like a personal play thing of the then leaders. This is one captain who was not afraid to use his own money to pay his fellow Warriors whenever Zifa coffers were empty.

And lest we forget, he is the first captain to take Zimbabwe to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). This is a man who played the game at the highest level. The first African to play in the English Premier League. He also has the longest streak in the English game — he played in England from 1991 to 2004.

Wait a minute — that’s not good enough — more needs to be said about Peter Ndlovu. In England, he debuted for Coventry City in 1992 and scored his first goal in the league on 2 September 1992. During his time at Coventry City, he made 176 appearances and scored 39 goals, earning a reputation for his speed and skill, which left a significant impact on the Premier League.

Following his tenure at Coventry, Peter Ndlovu continued to shine at Birmingham City, where he scored 23 goals in 106 appearances. His journey then took him to Sheffield United, where he added another 25 goals in 135 appearances. Beyond his club career, he was a key player for the Warriors, earning 100 caps and scoring 37 goals. He represented Zimbabwe in two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, further solidifying his legacy on the international stage.

He remains the highest-scoring Zimbabwean in English football history, with 34 Premier League goals. His pioneering role paved the way for many African players in the Premier League, making him a significant figure in both Zimbabwean and African football history.

No other candidate can better that curriculum vitae. His contributions to the sport have left an indelible mark. What he has achieved is better than having five O-levels that some want as a requirement to stand for president. This is one man who deserves a doctorate for his contribution to football. This is one man who deserves to be called by his full name — Peter Ndlovu with a “Dr” prefixed to his name. Calling him “Peter” is an insult. Calling him “Ndlovu” makes him look ordinary. He is Dr Peter Ndlovu.

However, kicking a ball does not qualify one for an administration job, some will point out, and they have a point. But Peter Ndlovu has tried his hand in management and no one has called him incompetent. After retiring from playing football, he transitioned into coaching and management roles. He served as the assistant manager for the Warriors and later became the team manager for Mamelodi Sundowns across the Limpopo River in a South African club.

At Mamelodi Sundowns, Nsukuzonke has found considerable success in his managerial role. As the team manager, he has been part of a highly successful period for the club, which has seen them win multiple league titles and other domestic trophies. His experience as a player and his leadership skills have been instrumental in helping the team maintain its dominance in South African football.

Few former players are able to pull off such an impressive transition from celebrated legendary player to a successful managerial role. But then again, Peter Ndlovu is not an ordinary man. Ask those he has played with and managed. This man eats, breathes, sleeps and lives football. Football leadership is not about secondary education. It’s more than that. It takes someone in football to know that and Peter Ndlovu has a PhD in football.

To borrow from Axl Torvalds’ quote in the movie Swordfish, Peter Ndlovu exists in a world beyond his rivals for the Zifa presidency. What we only fantasise about football, he did. He lives a football life where nothing was and is beyond him. Despite that, he remains humble and he is not one to beat his own drum. But you know what? It’s all a facade. For all his charm and humility, he is a driven, unflinching, calculating machine. He didn’t get it all on a silver platter.

He worked for it. And you can be damn sure he will work his socks off to make Zimbabwe football great again, whether he is Zifa president or not.
And chances are that he might not even contest for the post.
@plainstan