Can the Kheli-Katsvairo twinning replicate the Adamski-Shutto combo?
SEVERAL years ago, Highlanders and, by extension Barbourfields Stadium provided the setting for an unprecedented strike duo made up of a supposedly “overthe-hill” pair!
Eighteen years later, those privileged to have witnessed this unlikely combo could very well be witness to its apparent reincarnation. Again at Bosso. Again at B/F.
When the late Adam Ndlovu arrived at Highlanders after leaving his Swiss club and his playing career seemingly headed towards the departure lounge, very little was expected of him. Many loyal Bossolonians were convinced that despite his legend status and because of his advanced age (32 years old at the time), Adamski had little left in his tank and was just back for show: a retirement sojourn so to speak.
And then Amahlolanyama did the unthinkable! While fans were still coming to grips with Adamski’s return, wondering if they would resist the urge to boo one of their own, a living, breathing Bosso legend, Stewart Murisa arrived on the scene. Now instead of just one over-the-hill great, they had a whole pair of them!
Although still fairly young (in football years) at 28, Murisa had endured a difficult period after a severe knee injury that led to two operations in South Africa before joining Dynamos and later been dumped by the Harare side after only one season for being part of an industrial action. Shutto had returned to Zimbabwe to recuperate after spells with Cape Town sides Seven Stars and Ajax Cape Town.
Many a head was shaken in dismay! There were quiet, respectful murmurs about the club’s executive, board and technical team decision! More than a few wondered if all these people, entrusted to run the club and bring glory to Emagumeni had lost their marbles!
But play they did and goals galore to boot! In fact, both played and scored so much that they even earned themselves moves to the South African top-tier league. Shutto was signed by Bidvest Wits at the halfway stage while Adamski moved to Moroka Swallows.
Not bad business for a pair of “best befores” who had somehow managed to tear up the local league well into the twilight years of their careers and won the league championship by a massive 20 points while they were at it.
Yesterday, 37-year-old Mkhokheli Dube and Mitchell Katsvairo (30 years old) were to take part in their first official engagement for Highlanders against FC Platinum in the Castle Challenge Cup (read match report on back page of this edition). “Kheli” is a “returning resident” while his new partner in crime, Katsvairo has had somewhat of stop-start career, but with highlights that include a stand-out season with Chicken
Inn that earned him a move to glamour club, Kaizer Chiefs. Kheli has a decent enough career
that has
included many a game in Major League Soccer straight out of United States of America. He also had a stint in the Absa Premiership South of the Limpopo albeit an unhappy one before returning to home shores for a stint at Chicken Inn and most recently FC Platinum.
Katsvairo had a difficult stay in South Africa before returning home and joining Caps United who finished a point behind Kheli’s Platinum in last season’s championship race.
Bossolonians are yet to be convinced by new coach Mark Harrison’s reasoning in signing an aging horse and a downand-out forward to spearhead his attack in 2010. Rewind 18 years and many will remember the same apprehension form
Bossolona when another Briton, Eddie May signed an aging horse and a Dynamos (and Ajax Cape Town) reject.
But to the generation that witnessed the Adamski and Shutto Show, they are less sceptical and may reason that it happened before and it should happen again! In fact, if history repeats itself, the duo could do so well that they may even be signed in SA for one more bite at the Rand Cherry Pie.
Kheli and Katsvairo have a decent opportunity to thrill their new club’s hard to please loyals and be sung all the way from Makokoba to Cowdray Park to Dingumuzi and the much vaunted Fiesta drinking hole in the avenues of Harare where Bossolonians based in the capital tend to gravitate towards.
Songs of merriment will be composed at the hallowed Soweto Stand and reverberate across the country as the Highlanders road show gets underway. From his grave, Adamski may just have found an able reminder of his swan song season at Bosso in Khelli while Shutto (ironically Katsvairo’s coach at Caps last season) will be watching eagerly to see if history will be repeated.
Fun fact: When Adamski and Shutto were signed by Bosso and inspired the side to a league title, the team was under the management of Eddie May! And today, Kheli and Katsvairo are under another mlungu. Could this be the human capital the club has been waiting on to deliver the long awaited league championship? Could Highlanders’ prayers be answered by the club’s affinity to abelungu? Only time and 34 matches will tell!