‘Coaching is God’s calling’
HAVING spent half a season at his club Bulawayo Wanderers FC operating in Olia Garuro’s shadow, Mapleni Nyathi never gave up and kept perfecting his skill and accuracy upfront.
Finally he emerged as the leading light of the side, showing brilliance in most appearances and scoring important goals for his side.
Nyathi was popularly called Barry, a nick name he earned after a former English Premiership League player Barry Ball.
He reveals the reasons why he had to play a second fiddle role to Garuro.
“Garuro was a free scorer who could score in almost every match and was good in ball distribution as well. As a result I had to be a bench warmer for half a season, at times I would be introduced in the last remaining 10 or 15 fifteen minutes and that was so discouraging,” he shares.
He says he was only given a chance after the departure of Garuro in 1971 and tried by all means to impress his coaches.
“When Garuro retired the coaches afforded me an opportunity in the first team line-up and had to give my best because I didn’t want to be a bench warmer again,” he remembers.
The players that made the squad are Majuta Mpofu, Roney Maseko, Alton Mpofu, Phibion Dube, Goliath Masuku, John Dube, Robson, Nyoni, Moses “Madala boy” Moyo, Ernest Mpala, Benny Ngwenya and Olia Garuro, Victor Dliwayo and Charles Wadawu.
He says after stamping his authority and gaining confidence, the coaches gave him the captain’s arm band.
“Just imagine after having been in the periphery for half a season the coaches saw leadership qualities in me, as such I was appointed the captain for two seasons,” he reveals.
At the time Bulawayo Wanderers fought for bragging rights against Matabeleland Highlanders, Mashonaland United, Eastlands, and BSAP.
As if he was beating his chest he says his side in most instances came out victorious against it’s across town arch rivals Matabeleland Highlanders who despite that was a formidable force.
His most memorable match was when his side clashed against Gweru United which was popularly known as Pisa Pisa.
“A match that remains one of my best ever was when I scored four goals against Pisa Pisa at their fortress and we won that match 6-2,” he reminisces saying that was at the peak of his career.
Usually when one has done a splendid job he or she deserves a present or at least a pat on his back. His coach did more than a pat on the back as he gave him soccer boots.
“After spending half my maiden season warming the bench my coach proved me wrong as he gave me brand new soccer boots and that was a morale booster for me and I quickly changed my attitude towards him,” he reveals to Sunday Life Sport.
However, his worst match was when his side locked horns against Matabeleland Highlanders at Barbourfields stadium.
“The game was flowing well but all hell broke loose after our striker clashed against Matabeleland Highlanders defender and fractured his leg. Fans started to pelt missiles on to the pitch, following that police had running battles with supporters who had invaded the pitch. Due to that the match was abandoned,” he remembers.
He was still with Bulawayo Wanderers when it changed its name to Bulawayo Eagles and now it was owned by Advocate Sibanda. But Sibanda effected some drastic changes to the club.
“Sibanda brought a number of players and had much influence in the selection of the first team. The new players were given much time but most of us (the senior players) were relegated to the reserve side. Due to that most of us (senior players) decided to go elsewhere where we could be afforded game time,” he shares.
He says he left to try his luck at Mashonaland United but failed to break through to the first team.
“I joined Mashonaland United as a free agent but I was benched for five solid months, after that I decided to join Matabeleland Highlanders. Matabeleland Highlanders coach Silas Ndlovu welcomed me well and gave me game time,” he shares.
He revealed that when he joined the side he was well accepted by the legendary players like Barry Daka, Nxumalo brothers James and Josiah, Tymon Mabaleka and Ananias Dube.
He is grateful to (Silas) Ndlovu for reviving his footballing career where some of the football fanatics had quickly written his epitaph.
“I am ever grateful to my best ever coach Silas Ndlovu for resuscitating my career which was declared dead by some people who had said I will never bounce back but will ply my trade in the boozers league. However, to their shock Silas gave me another chance and I did my best,”he says
He says to Ndlovu coaching was not just a profession but was more like God’s calling.
“To him coaching was not just a profession but was more like God’s calling as he turned an average player into a force to reckon with and was not someone who would tell a player that he is useless. And he was a real leader who possessed managerial qualities,” he says.
Nyathi revealed that he only spent a season with Matabeleland Highlanders before retracing back his footsteps to Bulawayo Eagles but now age was taking its toll.
“When I went back to Bulawayo Eagles now there were upcoming players like Boy Ndlovu and Rahman Gumbo among many players who became a household name in the country,” he reminisces.
He just spent a season with the side before he called time to his footballing career.
After retiring from playing soccer he was appointed a head coach of a social side — Radiator and Tinnings FC.
He says: “I found the side in Division Five and left it in Division Two after the management ran out of funds to sponsor the club.”
After soccer, he dedicated his time to supervision at Radiator and Tinnings and rose through the ranks to be a manager, a position he held until the company was closed in 2010.
Fact File