Wither to Hwange FC?

DURING its heydays Hwange Football Club constituted 80 percent local players, it was a club that was too hot to handle.

In the early 70s it lifted the Chibuku trophy and during those years Amos Rendo and the late greats Posani Sibanda and Rodrick Simwanza were the darlings of the soccer stars calendar.

Although other players did not grace the calendar, they were fireworks and up to now we wonder why they were not selected. Some of them have passed on, may their souls rest in peace. Those were the days when Hwange was hard to beat, especially at home where the home ground was dubbed “The Burial Ground “by the media.

With the passage of time another crop of local players emerged. Those were the likes of Rodger Sibanda, Lowani Nyathi, Chingumbe Masuku, Brian Njovu, Mebelo Njekwa, Alick Nyoni and the late Dick Banda. The boys took the team to greater heights and won the hearts of many fans.

Thereafter things began to change, local boys were gradually phased out at the expense of foreign players. Eventually it turned out to be a camel and tent story where the camel asked for shelter to accommodate its head and share the tent with the owner. The camel eventually accommodated the whole body and booted out the owner of the tent. It is crystal clear that local players were booted out of premier soccer at the expense of players from other areas. I am not saying we do not need such players but it is senseless for a club to have few local players.

Where are our local boys? We badly need home-grown talent. My blood is boiling. Lawrence “The Penpusher” Moyo, Hwange.