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Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
THE football fraternity at home and abroad was plunged into mourning following the passing on of former Warriors international and Footballers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Paul Gundani with many expressing shock at his demise while paying tribute to the ex-Ziscosteel player.

FUZ president Desmond Maringwa said he was still in a state of shock yesterday as he had learnt of Gundani’s death while just 10 kilometres away from the private clinic where the union’s secretary-general had been hospitalised.

“He said he had a headache and a fever two days ago and I told him that he would be well. This morning (yesterday) I got a call from his daughter that his condition had worsened and they were taking him to the hospital.

“I immediately left Harare for Kwekwe and just some 10 kilometres before Kwekwe, I got another call that he was no more. I am shocked and I cannot just believe it. He didn’t tell me that he wasn’t feeling well except for a day ago. I really don’t know. I am at a loss for words,” said Maringwa.

Veteran administrator and former Ziscosteel coach Benedict “Grinder” Moyo said he was heartbroken that a player whom he mentored and had blossomed into a good administrator was no more.

“For me it is very painful. I groomed him from the Ziscosteel juniors where he wanted to play in the centre-back position but I encouraged him to play either on the right back or left back.

“At that time, myself, Adiel Chibaya and Ephraim Mloyi were regulars on the centre-back and we could see that Paul at 16 was talented and had to play but it was going to be difficult to break into the team on that position but by then James Takavada was about to leave the club, so he was going to be guaranteed of a place in the team on the flanks .

“When I retired, I then coached him and I remember we reached the semi-finals with his team and lost to Tanganda United which was being coached by Misheck Marimo (now Chidzambwa) and he was playing alongside players such as Godfrey Tamirepi and Kennedy Nagoli.

“When he became Footballers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general, I was a ZIFA board member and I played a big role and paved way for them to get into the ZIFA Assembly. I understood what they were trying to achieve and then when we realised it was not compatible with FIFA statues, we removed them and everything was amicable. We worked with him and Maringwa very well. He contributed so much to Zimbabwean football and had so many positives than the negatives. It is indeed a sad loss,” said Moyo.

Former Warriors coach Gibson Homela said football had lost a legend.

“I last saw Paul some two weeks ago and I didn’t see anything wrong with him which could have led to his demise. He was a legend. In as far as football is concerned, we have lost one of our heroes,” said Homela.

Former Dynamos midfielder Masimba Dinyero also described Gunandi’s death as a great loss.

“It’s sad loss. As FUZ secretary-general he was mapping the way forward for Zimbabwean players especially the contractual issues. They were doing a great job for Zimbabwean soccer. I am sorry to his family for this sad loss.,’’ Dinyero said.

Former Dynamos captain Memory “Gwenzi” Mucherahowa led the tributes from those outside Zimbabwe with the England-based ex-midfilder describing Gundani as a stalwart of the game.

“I last spoke to him after the (English Premiership) game between Chelsea and Liverpool last weekend and I didn’t know it was going to be the last time that I was going to talk to him. Paul Gundani was a friend, a fellow footballer and a very good defender. He was one of the stalwarts of Reinhard Fabisch’s ‘Dream Team’ in which we featured together.

“I’m at loss of words. We will never forget his name but God has done His will. May His Soul Rest in Eternal Peace,” Mucherahowa said.