Desperate to avoid defeat

HE has been observing developments in his preferred sport from a distance. Five years after leaving mainstream football administration, one thing remains clear: You can take Twine Phiri out of football but you can’t take the game out of the man who rose from a kit-boy to become a club owner and leader of the Premier Soccer League.

“I am on a sabbatical; watching developments on the sidelines, but I will always be a football man,” Phiri told The Sunday Mail Sport in an exclusive interview.

“When the right time comes, I will bounce back. However, I remain available to offer football administration advice because football is my life.

“I still talk to a lot of prominent football people. I talk to ZIFA president Felton Kamambo, I also still talk to Bla Phidza (Philip Chiyangwa),” said the 49-yeard-old former CAPS United boss.

Phiri says he is now into academy football and has been working with former CAPS United players Joseph Kamwendo in Malawi and Laughter Chilembe in Zambia.

Rising through the tough life of Matererini Flats in Mbare, at one time becoming a kitboy for the late CAPS United legend Shackman “Mr Goals” Tauro, Phiri grew into a football administrator who is credited for transforming the Premier Soccer League in the last decade.

At just 29, Phiri was already a club chairperson, perhaps a record in local football administration.

He assumed CAPS United’s chairmanship in 2000 and was club president when Makepekepe won two consecutive league titles in 2004 and 2005 — the only time the club has achieved such a feat since its formation in 1973.

Makepekepe’s other league titles were in 1979, 1996, and 2016.

“I can say my football journey began when I was still a young boy growing up at Matererini Flats. The likes of Ian Gorowa, Stanley Chimwanza and George Usayi, who was one of our seniors, were some of the close buddies in the neighbourhood.”

While football talent gave Gorowa an opportunity to enrol at Prince Edward High School, being bright in school lifted Phiri from Mbare to Mt Pleasant High School.

Gorowa went on to play for Black Rhinos and Dynamos before crossing the border into South Africa.

It was at Mt Pleasant school where Phiri’s attachment with CAPS United was cemented.

“I became close to Shacky Tauro when I was still a pupil at Mt Pleasant High. Tauro used to come to the school and I would do some errands for him.

“We became so close that he started inviting me to CAPS United games.

“I was Tauro’s kit-boy and we would travel with CAPS United to most of the away matches. I remember, back then, Temba Mliswa was also a kit-boy for Joel Shambo and we would go together.

“My passion for the team deepened. I became close to most of the players like Friday Phiri, Size Torindo, Clever Muzuva, and Tobias Sibanda.

“When I finished school and started my own business, I still retained that love for CAPS United and I maintained close links with players and officials.”

Breakthrough

Suddenly, an opportunity arose out of the blue for Phiri, courtesy of childhood friend Gorowa, who was now playing for Ajax Cape Town.

“Gorowa had a chance encounter with some Caps Holding directors in South Africa, who were the owners of Makepekepe at that time.

“He (Gorowa) got information that these directors were no longer interested in football and he immediately alerted me,” Phiri said.

That was in 1999, three years after CAPS United had won their first league title since independence.

“When Ian came back to Zimbabwe, he took me to Shepherd Bwanya, who was then CAPS United chairman, and we also met Ed Robinson, who was Caps Holdings chief executive officer.

“They told me they wanted to sell a stake in the club. I expressed my interest but before making a move, I had to get some expert advice first,” Phiri said.

Apparently, he sought advice from then ZIFA president Leo Mugabe.

“Leo Mugabe confirmed that he feared CAPS United would crumble if something was not done to save the team.

“Mugabe then introduced me to Ndumiso Gumede, who was his deputy.

“The man had, and still has, vast knowledge of the game’s administration. It was Gumede who equipped me with my early administration skills.”

Through his company Twin-Con, Phiri entered into a partnership with Caps Holdings.

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