Unsung Heroes: Business people who invested in football

By Lot Chitakasha

The narrative of football in Zimbabwe cannot be complete without paying tribute to the business people who poured their hard earned money into the development of the game. These business people were motivated by the love of the game.

There was little financial reward to be gained from these ventures, if anything most of them accrued some losses but they soldiered on until the financial burden became unbearable. This article is dedicated to these unsung heroes.

As a point of departure, let me talk first about Eric Rosen, the owner of Motor Action Football Club, the Mighty Bulls as the fans adoringly called them. When I was researching on this topic, news of his death filtered through. I was shocked by the suddenness of the death but this also gave me the impetus to complete the article as quickly as possible.

Motor Action FC was formed in 2000 from the ashes of Blackpool Football Club. Rosen together with his dedicated wife Liz had a vision for their new club. Writing a tribute article for Rosen, Enock Muchingo rightly points out that Motor Action was more than a club, it was meant to be an academy of football.

It was meant to give young players an opportunity to showcase their talents. Rosen wanted a fast attacking brand of football and he taught this to the young players.

Rosen employed coaches like Rahman Gumbo and later Joey Antipas to implement this vision. Young players such as Clement Mutawu who won the soccer star of the year award in 2006, Edmore Mufema, Salim Milanzi, Musa Mguni among others were given the platform to shine.

Later they had Charles Sibanda who was also crowned Soccer star of the year in 2010, a remarkable achievement for the team. The team’s attacking brand of football was rewarded with a league title in 2010. The journey of ten years had come to fruition. Unfortunately for Motor Action, the league had no sponsor and hence there was no financial reward for the win, just the trophy. For a football man like Rosen, I guess that was enough.

Through Motor Action Football Club, Eric and Liz helped to spread the game to Mutare. The team used Sakubva Stadium as their home ground, helping to keep premier league interest in the city. By developing Motor Action Sports Club, they gave the team a home and a training base.

Many of their former players attested to their professionalism and generosity. The couple also employed many players after their playing careers had ended. Eric also helped to bring sponsors back into the game and negotiated the deal with Supersport to broadcast the Zimbabwe Premier League matches.

The harsh economic challenges began to bite and by 2013, the club was relegated. In Division one, the team was struggling to fulfil fixtures and the owners made the sad decision to disband the team. This marked the end of the Mighty Bulls.

It might seem as if I have jumped the gun by discussing Motor Action first before the pioneers of football investment but I hope readers will allow me some latitude because of the circumstances that I explained earlier. However, let me go back to the beginning.

In an earlier article, I discussed the cases of former president Canaan Banana and Weislaw Grabowski who have both owned and sponsored clubs. As President, Canaan Banana sponsored State House Tornadoes, later simply Tornadoes.

His achievements are well documented in this regard. While he was not exactly a business person, he still managed to keep Tornadoes afloat most probably from his presidential budget. On the other hand, I view Grabowski as a football business person.

He is able to identify young players, develop them and sell them abroad. In so doing he was able to keep Darryn T in the league for a long time and to sponsor his current academy, D.T. Africa. Some of his methods have been queried by critics but he has contributed immensely to football development in Zimbabwe.

I consider Lovemore Gijima Musindo as the pioneer of black football ownership in the Zimbabwean premiership. He owned Fire Batteries football club, a club which developed and nurtured many young players.

Fire Batteries was promoted into the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League [ZPSL] in 1993. This was also the year that premier league clubs decided to run their own league. The chairman was Morrison Sefelani and the secretary general was Chris Sibanda.

Fire Batteries were joining a newly independent league and hence became founder members of this new league. The club operated as a community club and tapped young talent from Chitungwiza. However, because of their strong scouting network, they were able to unearth talented youngsters from Mbare, Highfields and Glen Norah.

There was a strong emphasis on a vibrant junior policy. Young players like Lewis “Mangezha” Kutinyu, Mike Maringa, Stanley “Tyson” Chimwanza, George “Zero-Zero” Chirambarara, Innocent Chikonya, Charles Johane, Gilbert Mushangazhike and Hussein Amidu among others were developed at this club. Since most of these players were still at school, Gijima catered for their school fees and also employed most of them after school.

After the relegation of the team, Gijima sold most of the players most of whom were on long term contracts. This was one criticism often levelled at this pioneer, players given very long contracts which would discourage other suitors. There were jokes about eight to ten year contracts but I need to verify this.

Lovemore Gijima Musindo is now based on his farm in Headlands. In an interview with Manica Post reporter, Samuel Kadungure, he bemoaned the lack of support for small teams and this makes club ownership a thankless task.

This is an enduring truism in Zimbabwe football, only Dynamos, Highlanders, Caps United command huge followings and hence the small teams suffer. To keep these small teams alive, they need support from Zifa and a lot of corporate sponsorship, but that is a topic for another day.

Another team which brought colour, flamboyance and professionalism is Blackpool FC or Ndochi as their fans called them. This was a club formed from the ashes of Black Mambas FC, Warumwa – Warumwa. A group of young businessmen, Ronnie Chihota, Ginger Chinguwa, Ben Muchedzi, Joe “Pajero” Musenda, Joel Salifu and Lecturer Mpala with Chris Sambo as chairman came together to form and sponsor this club.

The club had some fantastic supporters and the team injected professionalism in the league. Their beautiful black and red kit made them the team to watch. Players were well catered for and in return they delivered on the pitch. Their major achievement was to win the Castle Cup in 1994 and reaching the semi-final of the Africa Cup Winners Cup in 1995. They were the first club to do so, a remarkable achievement.

The team had some good players such as Collins Kabote, Ernest Chirambadare, Vusi Laher, George Mwando, Liberty Masunda, Pardon Chivasa, Vivian Nkomo, Masimba Dinyero, Simba Nyakudziwanza, Alois Bunjira, Stewart Murisa, John Toto Ncube among others.

With the turn down in the economy, the burden of sponsoring the team became unbearable and the business friends made a business decision, they sold the team to Eric Rosen who renamed it Motor Action. As fans we will always cherish their commitment and who can forget the colourful Ndochi supporters.

In the same breath of flamboyance and professionalism, let me talk about Amazulu FC or Usuthu, a team owned by business man, Delma Lupepe. Amazulu were formed in 1996 and changed the way we viewed football. Delma’s view was that football was a full time career and hence players had to be well catered for.

He put players on monthly salaries, offered medical aid, training and camping allowances. A plan was in place to build a block of flats for the players and a well equipped training facility with a stadium the ultimate goal. Unfortunately, these grand plans were shelved due to the harsh economic environment.

Many players joined the team attracted by the professionalism and the lucrative contracts. Ronald Sibanda, Nkosana Gumbo, Muzondiwa Mugadza, Nqobozitshe Maenzanise, Ferdinand Mwachindalo, Misheck Makota were among the stars who made Amazulu a formidable side. The team won the Madison Trophy and the League in 2003.

Matters however began to unravel because of Delma Lupepe’s religious beliefs. As a Seventh Day Adventist, Delma objected to the idea of his team playing on a Saturday. An arrangement had been in place for the team to play on Sunday but one team refused to budge, Motor Action. Amazulu boycotted the match and the ZPSL decided to expel them from the league.

In an article “Zimbabwe Bans Religious Amazulu,” Steve Vickers points out that Amazulu refused to compromise on their principles. Their team manager Felix Matsika had this to say, “If we have to choose between the Sabbath and football, we will choose the Sabbath…football laws are made by man, but the Sabbath was written by the finger of God…” With that bold statement , the fate of Amazulu was sealed and Zimbabwe football was left in a poorer state.

Lest we forget, Caps United started off as a company team but the harsh economic climate resulted in CAPS Pharmaceuticals selling the team to Twine Phiri. Twine should be credited with keeping the team afloat by financing the team.

The team had great success in the league, winning it thrice during his tenure. It has not been smooth sailing for Twine but he has soldiered on. In the past year, he has surrendered most of his shares to Farai Jere who is now the sole owner. I wait to see which direction he will take this great club .

Another giant of football investment is Tanda Tavaruva, the bus owner and Masvingo United sponsor. The team had some great years in the league bankrolled by this passionate football man. The team is now playing in Division one and Tanda remains the benefactor.

I should also mention Methembe Ndlovu who runs Bantu Rovers. Bantu Rovers has a unique way of doing things, sending their junior players abroad for tournaments. They have also offered scholarships to their players. So far four have been sent to America. They have a well developed junior structure, and like their nickname suggests, Tshintsha Guluva [a progressive way of doing things], they are indeed a progressive force.

Other notable owners who should not be forgotten are John Nyamasoka of Rufaro Rovers, Solomon Mugavazi of Monomotapa, champions in 2008, coached by Norman Mapeza, Cuthbert Chitima of Gunners, champions in 2009 coached by Moses Chunga, Stan Kudenga of Eagles, Douglas Tanyanyiwa of Douglas Warriors and chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo of Sporting Lions.

Other individually owned clubs include Tipple B of Chiredzi, Lengthens nicknamed the Happy People, ShuShine, the team that gave us Tavaka Gumbo and Isaac Riyano ,two midfield magicians and Buymore owned by the much maligned Cuthbert Dube.

The economic climate in Zimbabwe has been harsh but it has not stopped many business people from investing in football. They have all done this because of their passion but little financial reward has accrued to them.

If the truth be told, many have been left in the red but their sacrifice and commitment should be applauded, they are the unsung heroes of the beautiful game. One can only wonder what the situation would have been if the economic environment was more conducive.