Ray Bande Senior Sports Reporter
ICONIC Sakubva born former Tanganda FC goalkeeper Nelson Bandura has made a passionate plea to fans in Mutare to back City Rovers as it stands on the threshold Premiership promotion and warned the team against future unnecessary administrative boobs and exploitation of players.
As Mutare City Rovers are about to begin another voyage into the country’s flagship football league, Bandura, who played for history making Tanganda FC where his career blossomed as he soon found himself in the national Under 20 and Under 23 teams, bemoaned the division that has always existed between players from different suburbs in Mutare as well as the negative attitude towards players from other cities.
“It is sad if that still exists (divisions). I thought it was a thing of the past and players should learn to understand that they are going to play with a stranger someday in their lives (if they are ambitious enough) and worse still somebody who cannot even speak a word of your language. Accepting and getting along with players from different places starts from those simple platforms and beginnings. The route cause could be the coaches or owners of the teams. They might be carrying old grudges.
“I know in a way it creates health competition but it must not be taken to extremes. I know it was not Dangamvura Sakubva only, Old location players also had their own thing going. The good thing about it is true stars will always shine brighter and that is the story of the late Ian Matondo and myself. We ended up being very, very close despite the old rivalry of the junior teams,” said the celebrated former goalkeeper.
One of the best ever goalkeepers to emerge from Mutare, Bandura who was fondly referred to simply as Neri, said the introduction of players from other regions is not a problem at all.
“Mutare deserves a Premiership team always. I want to thank Mutare City Rovers for flying Samanyika’s flag high again. Anyway, the introduction of players from other regions is not a problem at all. The personnel responsible for recruiting these players must be absolutely sure they are not mediocre.
“Everyone enjoys playing with a good player even easy to get along with your new team mates if they are good enough. Look, we had brilliant players like Lloyd Mutasa, Nomore Marange, William Chari, just to name a few. Mutare was buzzing during our Tanganda FC days and these players made a world of difference because they were classy.
“They must also not make wholesome changes to the playing personnel as this creates disunity in the team. Mark my words, not to players only but staff as well. They must also make realistic promises to the players and try to honour those promises,” he said.
For Mutare City Rovers journey into the Premiership, Bandura said: “My blood is Mutare forever. Let’s be ambitious enough to avoid relegation and preparations and recruitment start now. Get organised and take care of the niggling problems you know already now. There is nothing special about the premier league.
“It is just new venues you are going to play in, the same round ball, the same goalpost like the one you scored all those goals that won you the league and the same demarcations but please look after these players. Obviously the train will go off the rails sometimes, this is where you the administrators and supporters got to be the bigger men and keep level heads. Address problems through the right channels”.
Bandura grew up in Sakubva where he was identified as a talented player by Maxwell Chisakuwana who asked his to join his Dragon Stars club. Bandura latter joined Division Two side Blue-lam before leaing for B and C which was in Division One.
After a stint at B and C, Bandura, now 16, then joined Tanganda FC and that is where his career blossomed as he soon found himself in the national Under-20 and Under-23 teams. He later joined South African Premiership side Sundowns where he played for a decade and won three league title plus several cup competitions as well as featuring in the Caf Champions League before he hanging his gloves.
However, he was called out of retirement by Wits University and served for two seasons as a player-cum-coach before he finally called it a day. He has since ventured into media business while in South Africa.