Tinashe Nengomasha lives behind a legacy

Very few people knew about Nengomasha when he joined the Amakhosi from the then freshly relegated former Zimbabwean PSL champions, Black Aces in 2002. The defensive midfielder had already attracted interest from Bulawayo-based Highlanders, who had understandably reached a deal with Aces that should he fail to land a contract at the Soweto giants, he would have Emagumeni as his fallback base.

However, Bossos loss was to later prove the Amakhosis gain, as the then 19-year-old Nengomasha immediately cut at Chiefs and joined alongside his longtime friend and former Amazulu striker, Kelvin Mushangazhike.

As is always the case with players from fellow African countries, especially those from Zimbabwe, Nengomasha was quickly pre-judged by both the local media and soccer fans as one of Bobby Motaungs foreign flop signings for the 2002-2003 season.

When Mushangazhike found the going tough and was eventually shown the door, Nengomasha not only stuck it out, but quickly made disciples out of the doubting Thomases that kept waiting for him to make that first mistake they would throw at Motaung.

Within a few games, the tenacious Nengomasha had won the admiration of local soccer fans with the way he had steadied Chiefs central midfield, his now trademark timely interceptions, exquisite shielding of the ball and diagonal passes immediately earning him the nickname, ‘The General’. His ability to marshal the midfield and not allow anyone to penetrate the Chiefs backline became a marvel to watch and gave Bobby the last laugh and set the Chiefs manager on the first step to being the best talent scout that he currently is in the ABSA Premiership.

Ever-growing in stature, mental and physical strength, Nengomasha became the rock on which the Chiefs team was built and played a big part in guiding the Soweto club to the PSL title during the 2003-2004 season.

It came as no surprise when, in just his second full season in South Africa, he was voted both the PSLs Players Player and Player of the season for 2003-04 a befitting reward for his part in Chiefs title charge.

Today, having raked over 245 league and cup games for the club, Nengomasha is arguably the best defensive midfielder in the ABSA Premiership, with only his countryman, Esrom Nyandoro and Clifford Ngobeni being the only two others coming close to him. He has also won several trophies with the club, the most successful in SA knockout competitions to date.

Although not a great scorer of goals, his ability to find the space for the front men to exploit and find the goals they looking for has still worked wonders for Amakhosi, resulting in Chiefs refusing to let him go even when some French and Austrian clubs came knocking with mouthwatering offers.

Elevated to the teams Vice Captain after Jimmy Tau, Nengomasha wore the armband for most of the past two seasons, when Tau was seeing little club action and carried that owner with dignity, giving the youngsters direction and also doing his part with the ball, something he has been famed for.

When the club turned 40 years old last year, The General a cult hero in most South African suburbs, especially Soweto, was befittingly voted into 13th best Chiefs player ever, relegating even the clubs current chairman, Kaizer Motaung into 14th.

Being the only Zimbabwean in a list that also includes former club greats like Patrick Ace Ntsoelenge, Doctor 16V Khumalo, Fani Madida and Brian Baloyi, Nengomasha really got his place in the sun with that honour.

Again, when South Africas best soccer magazine KICKOFF, named Chiefs best ever foreign line-up in March this year, Nengomasha was an automatic choice, alongside fellow countrymen, the legendary Daniel Chikanda, Ebson Sugar Muguyo and Rabson Sarafina Muchichwa (substitute).

For durability, he is Chiefs most consistent central midfielder since Malombo Lechaba departed 25 years ago, said KICKOFF in its citation of Nengomasha.

There is a bit of Lechaba in this Zimbabwean tough guy who has an insatiable spirit and offers the platform for his more creative midfielders to attack. Not without skill himself though.

Nengomashas performance at Chiefs has done a lot in opening the ABSA Premiership to more Zimbabwean players, resulting in three more Thomas Sweswe, Zhaimu Jambo and Knowledge Musona also joining Chiefs last season, but it did not end there.

As a senior at the club, Nengomasha has been used over the years to induct new signings to the winning culture at the club, where a barren season should produce at least one major trophy.

Tinashe preaches what he does and will tell you in the face that he did not last eight years at Chiefs just because of his soccer talent, but discipline as well, said Zhaimu Jambo recently.

While dedication, discipline and determination are Nengomashas driving force going on the pitch, humility is what keeps him going off it.

I remember in August 2009, when a colleague and I went to the Kaizer Chiefs Village, in Naturena to congratulate my personal friend – Thomas Sweswe on signing for Chiefs alongside Zhaimu Jambo and Knowledge Musona and also to interview them ahead of the Telkom Charity Cup, slated for the following week in Rustenburg.

Whenever anyone there heard that we were from Zimbabwe, they would scream at us, Oh, you are here to interview The General (Tinashe Nengomasha)?

This confirmed to us that this man is a cult hero here.

After the interviews and while we were about 20 metres from the training grounds, I overhead the caretaker tell Nengomasha, who had just come out of the bathrooms, that some two Zimbabwean journalists had been to the training ground and were leaving.

When we turned our heads, the caretaker was pointing at us and before we knew it, Nengomasha was in full steam whistling for us to stop as he ran.

Guys how are you, how is home? Oh! You live here in South Africa? When did you come? Have you spoken to the people you wanted to interview? Did you get something to eat? How about drinks? Are you sure you are fine guys? Okay, thanks for visiting. Keep in touch. You should keep visiting us guys. We should touch base each time you come here, said The General, clearly elated as he led the conversation during that first meeting, in which he opened up to us in a manner no other footballer has done before.