By Mehluli Sibanda
One of the finest footballers to emerge out of Zimbabwe, George “Mastermind” Shaya has refused to judge the 2018 Soccer Star of the Year, Rodwell Chinyengetere’s suitability to pick up the award for two years in a row.
Chinyengetere was on 7 December crowned as the Soccer Star of the Year after landing the same award in 2017. He joined Shaya and Peter Ndlovu as the only players who have been crowned Soccer Star of the Year in consecutive seasons since the award started being handed out in 1969.
Shaya won the accolade in 1975, 1976 and 1977 having also been the best player on the country’s domestic scene in 1969 as well as 1972. Ndlovu was a joint winner with George Nechironga in 1990 before he won it by himself the following year.
The debate has been raging on whether Chinyengetere can be compared to Shaya and Ndlovu. Yesterday, the now 72-year-old Shaya who spoke to Sunday News Sport at the Highlanders Sports Club said he could not be the adjudicator on whether Chinyengetere was worthy to be Soccer Star of the Year for two years in a row.
The former Dynamos star believes that those tasked with choosing the best players are in a better position to make a decision if Chinyengetere ought to have won it in successive years.
“Football all over the world when we played and how these guys are playing, the football techniques are changing so it’s up to individuals, whether it’s old or new the talent is the same. I am not a good judge on that, the sports writers, because they cover most of our football games, those are the people who can really sit down and decide who to pick or who not to pick,’’ Shaya said.
He still follows local football with obviously his bias towards his former team Dynamos, who found the going tough in 2018 as they fought against relegation for most parts of the season. He still recalls during his playing days when Dynamos were meant to be relegated but the number of teams was increased so as to accommodate DeMbare.
“I do follow local football, usually of course I am biased because I usually go and watch Dynamos. I remember when I was last playing for Dynamos, I think there was some other time when we were going to be relegated, by that time I think the football association saw it fit, was it the football association or the league administrators who increased the number of teams from 14 to 16 so that they could involve Dynamos,’’ he said.
On whether Dynamos should continue with Lloyd Chigowe in charge, Shaya is of the view that the there is too much pressure placed on a coach yet the players are the ones responsible for making bad decisions.
“Unfortunately people always put the blame on the coach but as far as I am concerned it’s the players who contribute much to what they see because you can’t say you want to wait for the coach to instruct you to pass the ball at that particular time,’’ Shaya said.
The legendary Shaya was in Bulawayo for the funeral of Kudakwashe Mahachi’s mother, Sibonile Moyo who past on last Tuesday and was laid to rest at West Park Cemetery yesterday. Sunday News.
