Phillip Zulu in LEEDS, England
ROBERT Godoka is one of the best natural dribblers I have ever seen and I will always salute him as one of a crop of genius on the pitch with the ball.

He is what makes me cry when I look at these modern social football stars, disguised as national team players, international players, behaving as if they are football’s gift to our nation.

It’s a fraud, for the lack of a better word, if you ask me.

Godoka was the hallmark of Total Football philosophy of starting play from your own back and dazzle at opposition from high up the pitch up into their six-yard box. He is a living document of how to coach wide players, wingers and wide out midfielders.

He had a great first touch of controlling the ball, mazy runs and an intricate disguised play.

He reminds me of Jairzinho, the great Brazilian legend.

But, sadly in Zimbabwe, such great players and true icons of the game have been decimated into smithereens and into the dust bins of history.

Nobody remembers him except, of course you guys at The Herald and I thank you for that, because these are the superstars of our game.

You have a great national responsibility, as a newspaper, to ensure that our football history is never forgotten. And I am happy that you are leading in that role, because that is what the nation expects from you, nothing more and nothing less.

That is why someone like Godoka can come from his base in the UK and find it comfortable to speak to you because he has a connection to your newspaper as much as he has a connection to our football.

None of the so-called best players in the whole of the Southern African region and beyond on the continent today can match his magic on the ball.

Then, there is this thing that haunts me and which I feel is seriously wrong with our football.

How can Godoka be a mere spectator in the face of calamity, how can he be thrown into obscurity by folks who never kicked a ball at any level?

This is a huge scandal and I just can’t understand it.

Our true heroes of the game shall never be forgotten and at the right time we shall hoist them high above where they belong.

They served the game without any pre-conceived ideas of money-making and glory-seeking, but a love of the game based purely on commitment and dedication and a professional approach.

Robert Godoka, Byron Manuel, Joseph Zulu, Phineas Mutyavaviri, Ephert Lungu, David Chisambi, Joshua Phiri, Raphael Phiri, Martin Zulu, Gilbert Phiri, Ernerst Makosa, Wonder Phiri, Graham Boyle, Abraham Mwanza, Boniface Chiseko, Benjamin Mpofu (late), Shepherd Muradzikwa and many others, represented what was meant to become a new football powerhouse in Africa and on the globe at Independence.

But, sadly, this dream remains elusive for all of us who believe in Zimbabwe football.

To build to that level, in this day and age, will be a mammoth task and does require intelligence and great creativity in training and coaching without short cuts.

I never missed any of Rio Tinto games at Gwanzura and I will never forget the day Godoka scored four goals in less than 20 minutes of the game remaining, all solo efforts of getting the ball from the back and running at opponents with great pace, dexterity and sheer brilliance.

You won’t get such brilliant players like Godoka today and it’s really sad.

I’m glad he has never forgotten his roots and is back home to play his small part in helping the game.

I read he is donating some footballs to his old schools and that is positive.

Maybe, who knows, from that small gesture, another Robert Godoka will emerge.

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