It’s a super Sunday Rodrick Mutuma

RODRECK-MutumaBothwell Mahlengwe Sports Correspondent
WE have a Super Sunday coming — the Harare Derby will serve as the starter and then the World Cup final, later in the night, will be served as the main dish and, if you are a genuine football fan, this is as close as it gets to a perfect day.
It’s the kind of Sunday that one dreams of — breakfast-church, lunch-football and supper-football.

CAPS United and Dynamos will provide the early fireworks, that is if they come at all, but being fans we will be there in our thousands hoping that we witness a Battle Royale worth the acres of space that have been dedicated in the media to hype this big game.

Then, Argentina and Germany will provide the main meal, before a global television audience running into billions, and one hopes that, too, will be a better game than the lifeless tie the two sides served the last time they met in a World Cup final in Italy in 1990.

When the World Cup started, most people predicted an all-South American final because the conditions in Brazil favour countries from that region.

But cream always rises to the top and Germany showed that class knows no weather conditions.

In simmering heat, drenching rain, choking humidity, Germany has shown class marked with exquisite one-two passing, quick movement, teamwork and sheer hard work.

They are now favourites to win the 2014 World Cup although something tells me Lionel Messi can spoil their party.

Here, the Harare Derby fever is gripping the capital.

The media has gone into a frenzy, publicising the Derby at every opportunity that you would think we have our own little World Cup final at the National Sports Stadium.

With CAPS and Dynamos tied on points and that they won their last matches has spiked the interest.

I am sure this one will be a massive crowd puller.

But we should not hide the truth that this is one Derby that is now devoid of class. In terms of play, the Zvishavane Derby is far ahead. It has been a long time since the Harare Derby lived up to its hype.

What used to be a classic has now turned into an eyesore.

A look at both teams shows a big gap in terms of class in comparison to the teams of ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s. For starters, the current players lack a sense of belonging. In both teams, we don’t have a player whose roots are firmly from their club.

Save for Murape Murape, all the others were signed from other teams. They don’t have the CAPS’ culture or the Dynamos’ culture that epitomised players like Joe Mugabe and Memory Mucherahowa.

Secondly, these teams (including Highlanders) no longer boast of having the best talent in the country. The best player for the first half of the season was arguably Raphael Manuvire of ZPC Kariba. Surely, injury robbed him a chance to be the Player of the Year.

What we have at Dynamos and CAPS United today are also-runs, mediocre-to-average players.

Dynamos’ strike force is blunt, Rodreck Mutuma has played one game but has already caught up with those who started the season, their midfield unimaginative and what has been saving them is their relatively strong defence.

But we can’t go to a stadium to watch a good defence.

What we want to watch are good build-ups and great finishing the likes of Andre Schurrle, James Rodriguez, Tim Cahill and Robin Van Persie have been providing at the World Cup.

CAPS United has been blowing hot and cold.

They had an awful record on the road that changed in the past two away games and no one in their ranks can claim to be a true CAPS son.

They don’t know what it means to don that green-and-white uniform and defend the team’s claim in Zimbabwe’s football territory.

To them, CAPS United is just like Mushowani Stars or Vumbachibwe, just another form of employment.

What the current set of players doesn’t know is what it means for their supporters to win against their fiercest rival. It’s better to lose to any other team (Highlanders included) than for Dynamos to lose to CAPS United.

The opposite is true.

But, we can’t expect much from the current players.

What you don’t understand is whether it’s lack of talent or lack of talent development. You cannot compare them to the yesteryear teams and Derbies of the ‘80s,’90s and 2000s.

Imagine the Dynamos team that included Eddie Katsvere, Marimo (now Chidzambwa) brothers, Oliver Kateya, Gift Mpariwa, Hamid Dhana versus the CAPS United team that included Shackman Tauro, Stanford Mtizwa, Stanley Ndunduma, Joel Shambo.

Remember the Dynamos team that included the Chunga brothers, Angirayi Chapo, Henry Chari, Francis Shonhayi, Kenneth Jere, Max Makanza versus a CAPS United team that included Brenna Msiska, Gift Mudangwe, Carlos Max, Charlie Jones, Friday Phiri, Tobias Sibanda.

Imagine the Dynamos team of Vitalis Takawira, Claudius Zviripayi, Tauya Mrewa, Kaitano Tembo, Callisto Pasuwa, Lloyd Mutasa versus a CAPS United team of Silver Chigwenje, Joe Mugabe, Mpumelelo Dzowa, Morgan Nkhatazo, Cheche Billiart, Alois Bunjira, Stewart Murisa.

More recently, we had the Mhlauri- led boys of the combative Ashley Muza (now Rambanapasi), Laughter Chilembe, David Sengu, Ian Bakala, Lloyd Chitembwe, Ray Undi, Brian Badza, Leonard Tsipa versus a Dynamos that had Desmond Maringwa, Tonderai Ndiraya, Eddie Mashiri, Andrew Chifamba, James Matola, Leo Kurauzvione, Norman Maroto, Samson Choruwa.

These were real Derbies.
You went to the stadium with high expectations — to see good football and you would be mesmerised.

For this Derby, I’m not expecting much on the field of play. I can bet my last dollar that we will not see more than 10 completed passes from either team.

Neither should we expect more than 10 shots at goal from both teams combined.

Maybe what will be more exciting is the continued battle of the two men at the helm of these two teams — Twine Phiri and Kenny Mubaiwa.

After Mubaiwa was crushed by Phiri for the PSL top post, I don’t think he will entertain another upset by the team belonging to his adversary. It’s all about egos and, this sub-plot, is more interesting to me.

Maybe one or two players will surprise me and rise to the occasion and show some class.

It’s time someone wakes up from their slumber and help us re-live the cracking Harare Derby of yesteryear.

Remember the 0-7 drubbing of Dynamos in the semi-final of the National Foods Africa Day trophy where the ‘Headmaster’ Joel Shambo had a hand in five of the goals?

What about the famous Dynamos 4-2 comeback victory in the two-legged final of the same trophy when CAPS had gone to halftime leading 2–0 in 1994?

The exploits of the diminutive Vitalis ‘Digital’ Takawira, Simon ‘Mupakatsine’ Chuma and maverick Tauya ‘Doctor’ Murehwa in that game was stuff that could only be ordered from the heavens.

  • Bothwell Mahlengwe is a banker and former Premiership footballer and can be contacted, for feedback, on the email – [email protected]

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