Govt must promote sports – King Dunga
MBABANE – Former Eswatini freekick specialist Maxwell ‘King Dunga’ Zikalala reveals it is only the government that has the key for local football to attain professional status. The former Manzini Wanderers playmaker said if government could give E1 million to each premier league team, the standard of soccer would reach greater heights. He also shares with us how he was sent packing by the Sheppard Athletics gaffer Fritz Selbia for missing training for a day while still a junior. Enjoy your Sunday as he takes you down the memory lane.
TS – Good day ‘King Dunga’ and welcome to the Legends Corner.
King Dunga – Thanks mfowethu for having me in this honourable column.
TS – Please share with the reader who Maxwell ‘King Dunga’ Zikalala is?
King Dunga – I am a humble guy from Mankayane, but I grew up in Mbabane where I started playing football at a tender age.
TS – What was the first team that launched your football career?
King Dunga – I launched my soccer at Sheppard under the guidance of Fritz ‘Mdara’ Selbia. He however chased me for skipping training for a day ha ha ha.
TS – Ha ha ha really?
King Dunga – Yeah, I then went to Mbabane Midas City. I was part of the first Under-17s for the team and I was 16 years at that time. You will be surprised that at age 18 I was then promoted to the senior team.
TS – Please share how your first game in City colours was.
King Dunga – It was against Denver Sundowns, which paraded the likes of Wicky Marks and many other stars. I think it was the fourth game of the season and I scored coming from the bench. Eish! From that game I never played a second for the team for the entire season, as Skwaya Gwebu said scoring didn’t guarantee me a place in the starting eleven.
TS – Iyooh really?
King Dunga – Yes, but that made me a strong player as I took it in my stride since I was still a youngster, still to grow as a player. When the season finished I requested to be loaned to Umbelebele, Gwebu agreed and I found the likes of former Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs, who nurtured me very well.
TS – So how many seasons did you spend at Inkiliva?
King Dunga – I played for a season there as I was recalled back to my mother club. After a season with City, Highlanders came knocking for my signature. The boss was reluctant to release me, but at the end he eventually loaned me to Inkunzi. I then went back to City once again and did preseason with them.
TS – So how did you end up playing for Manzini Wanderers?
King Dunga – Wanderers approached City, but once again the management was reluctant to release me. I eventually joined them and this is where I enjoyed my football. I made my name at Waza as I won almost everything there. I played with great players, boYuki Masina, Doctor Nxumalo, Mbazo Gamedze and many more.
TS – Yeah you were lucky indeed bru. King Dunga – Yes and playing with the likes of the late Tholeni Nkambule, Barnes Mkhulisi, the late Thulani ‘Mau Mau’ Dlamini was also a cherry on top of the cake ha ha ha. I nearly forgot that from Wanderers I went to Israel but my stay was short-lived due to an injury.
TS – So you had to come back home.
King Dunga – Yes, but I had to relocate to Mbabane after one of my bosses, who took care of me at Wanderers, passed on. This did not sit well with some of Wanderers supporters, who loaded themselves in a van to fetch me.
TS – Ha ha ha where?
King Dunga – Upon my return from Manzini I went to stay with Caleb Ngwenya, who was my coach at City. When they arrived, I told them my story and I left with them to Bremer.
TS – How was the reception?
King Dunga – It was bad mfowethu, as I remember that I was made to sit on the bench in a BP Cup match against Mbabane Swallows as they had the mentality that I didn’t train. This was the first and last time warming the bench ha ha ha. I then told my Captain ‘Mbazo’ that I needed to leave as I felt that I was not appreciated. I re-joined Highlanders. We won the league and I was captain, but something bad happened which made me decide