Mixing coaching and playing in social leagues, he pursued a career as a soccer agent and has had many Irish youngsters pass through his hands en-route to the wealthier English League.
He has made stars out of previously unknown players like Partson Jaure and Tawanda Ushe. He has also linked many young players with big teams in the PSL and has taken others on trials to Swaziland, which is how Knowledge Jim moved from Dynamos to Swaziland’s Sundowns.
A series of failures in an attempt at a soccer career made the Harare-born man feel down and out. A brief and unsuccessful stint with former PSL side Chapungu in 1999, exacerbated by a second fracture of his right leg during a social match, gave him a hint that he would not make it in the sport.
But his determination did not end there and the giant strides he has made in a short space of time as a football agent have erased the disappointment he suffered during successive failures on the pitch dating back to the 1990s.
After a series of trips in and out of Zimbabwe stretching as far as East Asia, he eventually settled in Ireland with his family. He studied and worked in Aircraft Engineering before moving to Boston Scientific, a medical devices company. He then enrolled for a short computer course, followed by Advanced AutoCAD and then Mechatronics, before graduating with an Honours Degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology.
In all this, he never let go of his dream to make an impact in his beloved soccer. Having fully recovered from two fractures, he was back on the pitch playing social soccer. After a thrilling summer tournament in Co Longford, he was spotted by a coach at Longford Town FC, then an Eircom League Premier Division team in Ireland.
“I stayed focused and took up a challenge to coach schoolboys in 2003. I went through all the schoolboys coaching courses to a UEFA B (Youth Certificate),” he said in a recent interview.
His enduring passion for the game saw him become head coach of an Under-18 team at Rockmount FC for four seasons. This is the set-up in which former Manchester United captain, Roy Keane, was nurtured.
“I got my FIFA Football agent licence in 2010 and immediately got onto a plane to the World Cup final in South Africa, where I attended the final match between Holland and my favourite team, Spain,” he said.
He then went back home and, with the help of close friends, Tonderai Ndiraya and Desmond Maringwa, signed a number of players.
Back in Ireland and having strong links generated from his prolonged career as a schoolboys coach, he went on to secure trials in England for more than six youngsters.
He secured a deal for Oscar Sibanda at Galway United, where he met Sean Connor and convinced him to try a coaching career in Africa – landing the Irishman at Caps United.
“There was also a strong interest in Connor from Swaziland Sundowns and the Nigeria national team as technical director, but driven by the desire to expose Zimbabwean football and clubs to the Western world, I persuaded him to opt for Caps United,” said Mhondiwa.
“I have since joined hands with a Dutch top Coaches Agent, Rob McDonald, who played for 13 teams from 1975 – 1993, including big teams like Newcastle United, Besiktas, Sporting Lisbon and PSV Eindhoven. He also played alongside Dutch legends like Ruud Gullit, Ruud Krol, Ernie Brandts and Frank Rijkaard. So, working with him is like a dream come true.”
Mhondiwa is acting as Rob’s front man to secure jobs for elite coaches throughout Africa and Asia and their partnership has secured coaches jobs in Saudi Arabia, America and Europe.
Post published in: News