THE SPECIAL ONE

1006-1-1-BACKPAGE 11 6 16Petros Kausiyo in WINDHOEK, Namibia—
IN the midst of the euphoria that greeted Zimbabwe’s third qualification for the African Cup of Nations, coach Callisto Pasuwa nostalgically retraced his football career that has seen him set new records in domestic football. For a man who had literally walked away from the Warriors on the eve of the start of their 2017 Group L campaign following a lengthy spell without receiving his salary, the reality of the senior team’s qualification still sounds like a dream to Pasuwa.

The 44-year-old coach told The Saturday Herald he was still trying to adjust to the reality that he had become only the third man after Sunday “Mhofu’’ Chidzambwa and Charles Mhlauri to guide the Warriors to the Nations Cup finals.

As he sat in the lobby of the magnificent Windhoek Country Club Resort Hotel here, ready to face the media after leading his bunch of home-grown Warriors to the Namibian capital for their latest bid to become the first team to win a record fifth COSAFA Castle Cup title, Pasuwa reflected on a career that could have, in fact, ended up prematurely when he found a job at Fedex in 1992 while still playing for the now defunct former Division One side Screentone.

It was a year before he made his Dynamos debut in 1993.

Pasuwa narrated there were several occasions when he felt strongly about dumping the game to pursue other avenues in life, but thanks to a number of people who include his mentor Sunday “Mhofu’’ Chidzambwa , Moses Chunga, Nelson Matongorere, Lloyd Mutasa and Dynamos board of directors chairman Bernard Marriot Lusengo, who helped shape his playing and coaching career, the gaffer is now basking in the glory of the Warriors’ success.

Before last Sunday’s success, he also set a record in which he became the first coach to win four successive Premiership titles with Dynamos between 2011 and 2014 and yet it needed former DeMbare chairman Philip Mugadza to persuade him to rejoin the club as coach as Mutasa’s replacement.

Although his mentor Chidzambwa has eight league titles with Dynamos, they were spread over a number of years and what makes Pasuwa the Special One is that he claimed his championships in successive years which were also characterised by the Glamour Boys’ dominance over their bitter rivals CAPS United and Highlanders.

He however, left unceremoniously after being frustrated out of the job by the club’s leadership.

“This qualification with the Warriors is still very much like a dream to me and I think it will take time to sink in because I also have other commitments like the COSAFA Castle Cup to think about as we would want to also win that competition so there has been no time to party and celebrate really.

“But I could not have been where I am if it were not for a number of people who played a part from my days as a player up to now when I have become a coach.

“Mhofu (Chidzambwa) used to come to my house to check on me and being a strict disciplinarian that he is, he helped me to focus on my game and I was always happy to play for him.

“But he is one coach that I must admit I also feared very much. “In terms of discipline, Mhofu was tough, but I doubt kuti nanhasi he knows kuti ndakange ndine musikanzwa because ndaitya ndikasvika paari and everything I did I tried as much as possible to hide that from him,’’ Pasuwa said.

That Chidzambwa insisted on travelling with him to face Eagle Cement in Nigeria despite having failed to train because of a groin injury and ended up summoning him from the bench to play epitomised the faith that the coach had in him. Such faith was to also solidify the bond between teacher and pupil.

“At that match Mhofu had youngsters Murape Murape and Moses Zhuwawo on the bench and after just five minutes into the game, Tichaona Murewa dislocated his knee and he turned to me to go into battle.

“But just five minutes after I had came on I also had a knock after clash of heads and the doctor had to put a heavy bandage on me after stitching the cut, but as it turned out I was voted the man-of-the-match and that game marked the start of our successful campaign in which we reached the Champions League final,’’ Pasuwa said.

Although he played for Sporting Lions and also had coaching stints at Kiglon, Highway, Eagles and CAPS United mostly as an assistant, it is Dynamos that has really always been his lifeblood and where he cast his legendary status.

Pasuwa also credited Marriot for shaping his life. “When my father died (on April 18, 2000) Marriot sat down with me mushure mekunge audzwa misikanzwa yangu yese and he told me what life is about and that helped me to be more focussed. “With Bambo (Moses) Chunga I was always with him and we helped Dynamos survive relegation in 2005 as his assistant.

“With my brother Lloyd we worked together and helped Kiglon and Highway win promotion into the Premier League. We had worked together with Joe Mugabe at Sporting Lions as well. “After Chunga had taken me with him to CAPS United to be his assistant he then sat me down and told me that it was time I became my own man and stop being an assistant.”

Mugadza also has a special place in his life. “While I was playing social football in Harare, Mugadza came to me and persuaded me to rejoin Dynamos as coach,” said Pasuwa. “I refused, but he persisted and he came asking again after some days and told me he had already convinced Kenny Mubaiwa and his executive to give me a chance because he knew me from his days as the club chairman.

“So in a nutshell, I would like to thank everybody who played a part in turning around my life, but above all toisa zvese pana Mwari. “But for me to take up coaching it was because Matongorere forced me to do so otherwise I could have just pursued something else when I hung up my boots. “For much of my playing career I was very naughty and I often played truant sometimes just deciding to stay at home if I felt I didn’t want to play football anymore.

“I was also very temperamental, but I am glad that Mwari vakapindira and here I am now.

“There are also very memorable matches and occasions and I am very grateful to the current crop of players I have in the Warriors for their commitment and understanding that even if we are faced with difficulties, it is important to play first then have our problems addressed and that is how we have managed to achieve our success . . . we have been a united family,” he said.

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