One such player is Nkosana “Sancho” Gumbo, a former Zimbabwe Saints, Amazulu and Njube Sundowns midfield destroyer, who was also at home as a left fullback.
Gumbo, who comes from a footballing family that included current national team coach, Rahman, and Norman, remains grateful to Zimbabwe Saints, who gave him his first break when they gave him his PSL debut in 1992, at the age of 19. He still remembers that game vividly – a 1-1 league draw with Ziscosteel at Barbourfields Stadium.
“I joined Saints as an Under 14 and moved up the ladder to that first game, which still means a lot to me,” said the 39-year-old former star, feared for his gritty play.
“I can still vividly recall each moment of that match. I played my heart out and that cemented my place in the team. I came into the team at the time when most of the senior players were leaving and only the late Joseph Machingura remained a senior player then. It was therefore, the time for many juniors to graduate to the senior team and I became a part of that.”
From then on, Chikwata rose to reclaim their place as one of Zimbabwe’s big guns, alongside Highlanders, Dynamos and Caps United.
“One of my best career matches was the one in which we beat a then high-riding and star-studded Caps United side that eventually won the championship in 1996. Very few teams stood a chance against them, but we managed to beat them 2-1 in a hard-fought battle at BF. We came out tops over such players like Alois Bunjira, Stewart Murisa, Edelbert Dhina, Joe Mugabe and Morgan Nkathazo.”
Gumbo was part of the Saints team that won the Independence Trophy in 1995 and came out runners-up in the Natbrew Castle Cup of 1996. In 1997, he joined the then cash-spending Amazulu when they were promoted into the elite league.
“Things were not going well at Zimbabwe Saints and when a better administered club came to the fore, I quickly joined them. In 2002, we came close to being crowned champions, but Highlanders were too good to let it slip then,” added Gumbo.
With Usuthu, Gumbo won the Independence Trophy in 1999, the Madison Trophy in 2001 and the OK Grand Challenge 2002 and was a finalist in the BP Cup of 2001. In 2003, he achieved his career highlight with a league triumph with the Bulawayo-based side.
“That remains the best moment of my career, which came after six years of fighting to be crowned the best side in the local game.”
The joy only lasted for two years and in 2005, the ambitious side Amazulu were controversially relegated, leaving Gumbo to join Njube Sundowns the following season. He quit the game in 2008 to give way to youngsters, who were coming through the team’s ranks.
Many will recall Gumbo’s no-nonsense play alongside Voster Chitema, Ferdinand Mwachindalo and David Mkandawire in the Amazulu midfield.
Like his elder brothers Rahman and Norman, Sancho ventured into coaching in 2008 and successfully mentored Windermere F.C, which campaigned in the Southern Region’s Division one league, but later folded due to viability problems.
Gumbo is now coach at Rising Stars Academy, one of the very few local sides to have white players in its ranks.
“There is abundance of young talent in the country and ZIFA should take advantage of this to make good our fortunes as a football-playing nation. This academy is gunning for PSL in five years time, hopeful we will get sponsors on board.”
Post published in: Football