African Nations Cup qualifying fixture in fear of contracting the Ebola fever, had one positive for goalkeeper, Johannes Tshuma, who was voted Man-of-the-Match.
Tshuma, a fringe national team player then, was one of the few senior players in the local premiership who risked their lives on national duty. That decision encapsulates his dedication to football since he began his career at now-fallen Bulawayo giants, Eagles at 10 years of age. By the time he was 17, he was already playing for the senior team in the local First Division.
“Mazhiya’s” 1983 promotion to the PSL in 1983 spelt trouble for most giants of the game.
Great saves
“I always frustrated big teams like Dynamos and Highlanders fans with my great saves,” said the former great. “I had taken an oath to myself that I had to keep clean sheets against he big teams and, even though they did score at times, it did not come easily. I still remember the day we held Caps United to a 1-1 draw in the 1982 ZIFA Cup while
Eagles
were still in the first division. I made many brilliant saves against a great team that had the likes of Stanley Ndunduma, Shackman Tauro, and Brenna Msiska.”
Tshuma broke many fans’ hearts when he took a brief sabbatical from the game to pursue a professional career in boiler making at Gwanda Polytechnic College.
On his return in 1987, he signed for coalminers Hwange, from where he got his national team call-ups. He was part of the “Chipangano” team that beat Kenya Breweries 3-1 in an invitational tournament in that country in 1989. He then led the club to a triumph the
Heroes Cup the following season, from which they were runners-up in the Castle Cup.
“I really enjoyed my stay at Hwange because things worked well for my career, although I would have liked to win a PSL championship medal with them. Hard work
and individual talent also saw me being selected for the national team,” added
Tshuma.
Another level
In 1992, when Peter Nkomo, arguably the best ever Highlanders goalkeeper, retired, Roy Barretto signed Tshuma as his replacement, giving him a chance to win medals with the Bulawayo giants.
“Signing for Bosso was a whole new experience and took my career to a new high within a short space of time,” he said. “Their supporters always cheered us up and I saw Africa and the world through 
Highlanders. I also won various medals at Bosso, including many championships, Castle Cups and Independence trophies. I also featured in many Warriors games until I retired in 2000, when I handed over the baton to a new generation of goalkeepers.”
In 2003, Tshuma quit football. “That was the time Tapuwa Kapini arrived and I had to concentrate on training goalkeepers full time. I also nurtured the likes of Washington Arubi and Tendai Tanyanyiwa. Many Zimbabwean goalkeepers went through my hands.”
Tshuma now works at a grassroots level, where he is an advisor to various junior teams in Bulawayo.
Post published in: Football