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Charles Mabika

Special Correspondent

EVERY local player’s dream is to be selected as one of the Soccer Stars of the Year finalists, at some point, in his career.

There have been a total of 45 players, in the top award’s 50-year history, who have won the Soccer Star of the Year top prize.

Four of them triumphed more than once.

George “Mastermind” Shaya (Dynamos, 5 times); Peter “Nsukuzonke” Ndlovu (Highlanders, twice); Stanley “Sinyo” Ndunduma (CAPS United and Black Rhinos, twice) and FC Platinum’s Rodwell “Amla” Chinyengetere (twice).

But, there have been some unlucky players in the competition, who missed out on the top prize, but remained a consistent lot throughout their careers.

Over the years, some of the unlucky players who missed out on the top award, because of the dominance of the likes of Shaya, Ndunduma, Ndlovu, Tauya Murehwa, Cephas Chimedza and Moses Chunga – and at times some controversial selectors’ choices – were ‘keepers like Rob Jordan, Posani Sibanda, Bruce Grobbelaar, Brenna Msiska, Gift Muzadzi, Tafadzwa Dube and Tapiwa Kapini.

The others are James “Topsy” Robertson, Alick Masanjala, Shaw Handriade, Daniel Rock” Chikanda, Paul Tsumbe, Max Tshuma,  Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa, Archieford Chimutanda, Madinda Ndlovu, Benjamin Nkonjera, Lloyd Mutasa, Alois Bunjira, Desmond Maringwa, Benjamin Marere, Ocean Mushure  and Silas Songani.

Below are my choices of the ‘’Unlucky XI.”

Rob Jordan (Goalkeeper): The country’s undisputed No. 1 in the 60s and early 70s. Those who watched him in action rate him ahead of Grobbbelaar as the safest pair of hands ever produced here. Starred for Salisbury Callies and was the country’s ’keeper during the 1970 penultimate World Cup qualifier against  Australia in 1969, where the Southern African nation eventually bowed out after three matches (including two replays).  Was unlucky to finish as the first runner-up to Shaya in the first Soccer Star of the Year competition in ‘69. Jordan had been voted the sole winner in a “Player of the Year” nationwide poll which catered for only one winner a year earlier (1968).

Bruce Grobbelaar (Goalkeeper): Took over from Rex Sheasby (at Salisbury Callies), The Jungleman also turned out for Chibuku Shumba and Highlanders before venturing outside the country where his sojourn took him to South Africa, Canada and finally England where he played for Liverpool.

Sunday Chidzambwa (Defender): In many fans’ eyes, the finest centreback ever to grace our fields. Was the first skipper of an independent Zimbabwe senior national side in 1980 and was also the leader at his club Dynamos where he formed arguably the best centreback pairing ever at club and national level with his younger brother Misheck.

Max Tshuma (Midfielder): This brilliant midfield workhorse’s only “crime” was to have played in the same era as Shaya because he was a diminutive artist who kept his club, Zimbabwe Saints, in pole position in most domestic competitions. Shaluza also acquitted himself well at national level.

Joseph Zulu (Forward): A pacy left winger, who terrorised his markers with precision turns of speed and direction, hence the nickname Doctor. Was the playmaker for the now-defunct gold-mining side Rio Tinto and also featured prominently for the Warriors. Was in the front line of Rio Tinto side which finished second to Dynamos in the league in 1983.

Stanford Mutizwa (Midfielder): Players like him come once in a lifetime. A crafty dribbler, with plenty of individual qualities, this playmaker still wonders what the selectors needed him to do to win the top award. He could have ventured into the European game after he had an offer from Switzerland’s top side Grasshoppers but, somehow, the transfer fell through. He should have won in 1989 but was, somehow, beaten by Masimba Dinyero.

Joel Shambo (Midfielder): His telepathic partnership with Mutizwa at Makepekepe has been rated as one of the finest ever seen in the land. Jubilee or The Headmaster, as he was affectionately known, was a master ball juggler and classic entertainer who seldom came out worse in a midfield aerial tussle. A gliding performer going forward, he would set up gilt-edged chances for his forwards with the precision of a butcher’s cleaver slicing through meat and bone and was a deadly artist from free-kicks.

Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo (Midfielder):  A bull terrier in the middle of the park who used his massive frame to dispossess and bulldoze his way past his opponents. He was an entertainer-par-excellence at Highlanders and the Warriors. Gifted with sheer

Madinda Ndlovu (Forward): Kathazile was a right winger who used to tear menacingly down the flank and cutting inside to square the ball for his centre strikers or pave his own way to finish the move himself. One of the fastest wingers ever seen in the land, he scored some spectacular goals for his beloved Bosso and the Warriors.

Lloyd Mutasa (Midfielder): A pin-point passer, blessed with guile and vision, Samaita used to thrill the Dynamos and Tanganda fans with his immaculate performances every week. With his trademark poise of head tilted down, to his left shoulder and one arm pointing in one direction as he smoothly glided upfield, his posture was well choreographed. He was also a deadly free-kick specialist.

Ocean Mushure (Defender): Undoubtedly one of the most consistent perfomers in the past two decades. A wingback, with a cultured left foot, he somehow went unnoticed by the selectors, over the years, while producing fine performances for sides like Monomotapa and Motor Action until in 2017, after he had joined Dynamos, three years earlier. He finished as second runner-up to the FC Platinum duo of Chinyengetere and Kelvin Moyo.