Now Tendai ‘Tindo’ Nyathi (41) is heavily involved with developing grassroots talent in Johannesburg, where he coaches a number of high-profile junior teams and schools. The Bulawayo-born coach believes that developing the youth is the key to re-establishing Zimbabwe as a powerful football nation that can compete internationally.
“Success in football lies in a strong and properly-managed junior policy,” said Nyathi, who also coached former ZIFA Division Two side, Morris Depot F.C in 2003, where he discovered the free-scoring Mutizirwa and dribbling wizard, Kachirika.
He is in charge of Sandton Park Academy’s Under-7-16 boys, besides the many other junior teams and schools also benefiting from his strong qualifications as a coach.
“The situation in Zimbabwe is bad due to lack of proper training facilities and equipment, yet there are many dedicated young players. Here in South Africa, the government and clubs provide everything to develop sport and that is what we should emulate back home. We need a situation whereby sporting mother bodies invest more money and time in junior policy for the country to retain its status of sporting excellence,” added Nyathi, who began by coaching Balfour Alexandra Academy in 2009.
He also called on fellow Zimbabweans in SA to register their talented boys with Sandton Park Academy.
“I only have one Zimbabwean boy in my Academy and very few black players in the teams,” said Nyathi, whose other protégés at Old Edwardians are competing in the national Under-16 league.
“We are currently sitting on 8th position in a 16-team league that includes PSL giants like Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Moroka Swallows. Competition is very high, but I am happy with performance of my boys, who recently they reached final of Maccabi Cup, where we lost 5-4 on penalties to Mpumalanga Black Aces Development.”
Nyathi also juggles the job of coaching Crawford High school as he remains in high demand in the neighbouring country. He did not rule out returning to Zimbabwe as coach one day.
“I am definitely working on something with my friends that will see me soon return home, where I want to help resuscitate the dying junior policy that previously helped create the famous ‘Dream Team’ of the 1990s,” he revealed. “Our aim is to establish an academy that will have a football school of consultancy to help keep football matters flowing.”
Nyathi once played police PSL outfit, Black Mambas, Blackpool and Arcadia United between 1993 and 1998, when his career was later cut short by a nagging knee injury that failed to heal after an operation.
Post published in: Football