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Robson Sharuko

Senior Sports Editor

A FORMER Young Warrior believes Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa’s legacy, as a football god and one of the two finest Zimbabwean footballers of all time, would have been firmly secured had he played for Dynamos.

Instead, Nesbert “Yabo” Saruchera argues, Stix’s status as a genuine contender, when the debate about the Greatest Of All Time crops up, is compromised because it does not carry the weight that would have come with playing for the Glamour Boys.

The former midfield magician could be having a profile, says Saruchera, as big — if not bigger — than Moses Chunga, if he had played for the Glamour Boys rather than spent his career at CAPS United and Black Rhinos.

Playing for the all-conquering Dynamos of the ‘80s, argues Saruchera, would have given Stix a bigger status, and adoring constituency, which would have given his status, as a football genius, the backing it deserved.

Stix would have easily won the Soccer Star of the Year in 1989, an award then synonymous with greatness, and would also have captured that gong, on a number of other occasions during that decade. He was simply too good, says Saruchera, it’s a shame he doesn’t get the honour he clearly deserves when people talk about the finest Zimbabwean footballers of all time. However, claims Saruchera, Stix became a symbol of the revolution which challenged the country’s biggest club, at the height of its dominance of the domestic scene.

And, this cost him love, leading many not to embrace his brilliance and distort the story that he was a football genius.

“Stix is the first Zimbabwean footballer, after Independence, to attract representatives of a European club to physically come here and commit themselves to taking him back to play for their team in Europe,” says Saruchera.

“That he didn’t end up going there is another story which should not diminish his greatness but what can’t be questioned is that he was magical. His history would be written in gold letters if he played for Dynamos, I am sure of that, there would be a street in Mbare today probably named after him.

“He was a gem, a genius, and it’s a pity he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves but those who saw him play, at the peak of his powers, will tell you we have never had a player like him.”

Former Warriors goalkeeper, Tapuwa Kapini agrees, claiming the domestic landscape isn’t an even playing field, when it comes to recording greatness in this game.

Most of the classification, argues Kapini, is largely influenced by the status of the club one played for with a number of good players, who played for the lightweight clubs, being given a raw deal.

“It’s a big crisis in Zimbabwe, some of the legends, because they played for the so-called smaller teams, they are not even known,” said Kapini. “I watched Stanley Mashezha as well, playing alongside Francis Jeyman and Itai Kapini, they were excellent footballers.”

Allan Muchibwa, a former Dynamos media liaison officer, feels as long as there isn’t a criteria to determine greatness, the controversy will rumble forever.

He also fears the legacy of players like Stix, without documentary evidence to keep reminding the next generations of their greatness, will be forgotten.

“Locally, yesteryear footballers are prejudiced due to lack of video reference, as it were,” argues Muchibwa.

“If they are excluded from conversations now, how much more in 30 to 40 years? A local football museum, maybe?

“Or else, the younger generations will never truly appreciate some of the talents.

“Thirty to forty years from now, we may not have anyone who would have watched Stix, Sinyo (Stanley Ndunduma), or the Bomber (Maronga Nyangela), who will make a case for them then?

“If we had references and records available legacies would be preserved regardless of teams played for.

“Yes, (Matthew) Le Tissier’s legacy could have been bigger if he’d played for United or Liverpool but there is so much video footage one can reference to make a case for him, 20 to 30 years from now, so that helps.

“This further strengthens a science of sorts in the coming up with the GOAT.

“Without some sort of criteria, the discussions end up leaving some candidates who genuinely should be part of the conversation.”

What do others say, Twitter has been buzzing and these are some of the responses:

Marshall Gore

“He left CAPS United prematurely, that’s my reason (why Stix doesn’t feature in the GOAT race).”

Tafadzwa Mukudu

“I watched Stix play. Words are not enough to describe how sublime he was. There is no player, and there hasn’t been since, who has the same ball control. Very economical with the ball but highly effective. Legend.”

@Inkunzilo

“He was (one of the greatest), problem is media coverage sometimes favours certain teams. Once he moved to Rhinos they didn’t get enough coverage, especially from The Herald.”

Dingilizwe Ntuli, Chronicle

Sports Editor

“Having watched Stix, I agree with Saruchera, Stix has never been given the due respect he deserves. He is among my best three midfielders I’ve watched in Zimbabwe with the late Joel Shambo and Kenneth Jere. People can shout about other players but I’m not moved. Stix is the only player who silenced Bosso fans at Barbourfields back then. When he was in possession, there was dead silence at Barbourfields. I’m yet to see any opponent that earned the respect of Bosso fans like him.”

Phillip Mutserwa

“Stix is one of the great players of his generation, one of the best ball controllers using both his feet and chest. It is a fact that, maybe, because if his humbleness, he remains one of the most underrated.”

Arthur Choga, former

ZIFA spokesperson

“Stix was a great player and a really chilled person, he was a great creator of chances (assists), ball winner but was very quiet off the field and didn’t score many goals. Scorers tend to attract more coverage. I think he should feature in any talk of greats.”

Adolphus Chinomwe, former

Monomotapa official

“We’ve done a poor job of recording our football history, every city, town, township or ghetto has a legend, many whose stories and prowess have been lost to time. We have bits and pieces of those few lucky to have played for the ‘big teams’.”

Samuel Musungwini

“It is the media which I still remember was accused of having robbed Stix Mtizwa of the Soccer Star of the Year in 1989.”

Oka Diawu

“Stix was a great player in his own right. He didn’t need a team to define his quality, I am privileged to have watched him, elegant, classy player, total legend of the game.”

Forbes Gumbura

“Stix was special, my dad attests to that and he was a Rhinos sponsor, he says Stix was better than Chunga, especially on ball control, Chunga’s (ball control) was sometimes suspect and Stix was offered a contract to play in Europe but Rhinos refused (to let him go) saying how can a soldier leave?”

Qinisela Mpunzi

“My father, who is a staunch Bosso supporter, used to speak highly of Stix Mtizwa. I don’t know what really was done by yesteryear Rhinos, especially that of 1987 but I’m left with no option but to salute this great man Stix Mtizwa.”

Tafirenyika Makoni

“Stix was a different league, he was an orchestra conductor and I’m a DeMbare man.”

Emmanuel Enock Masuku

“I try to refrain from joining the debate in Zimbabwe’s GOAT because you try to make a point to people who didn’t watch Archiford Chimutanda, Boy Ndlovu, Stix Mtizwa, Edward Katsvere, Onias Musana, David Mwanza, Moses Chunga, you may sound demeaning yet saying the gospel truth. Players of today would spit blood if they attempted to cheat control the ball (the way) Stix                                                                                  used to do.”