FORMER Dynamos captain Memory Mucherahowa believes his career would not have been successful had it not been for the guidance he received from Misheck “Scania” Chidzambwa.
The legendary Chidzambwa died last week at the age of 66.
He was buried at his family’s rural home in Mhondoro on Monday.
Mucherahowa, who is now based in Slough, here in England, described Chidzambwa as a selfless man, who shaped his career.
“It’s very difficult for me to think that he is gone, especially coming soon after the death of David Mandigora,” he said.
“These guys looked after me when I was promoted into the senior team towards the end of 1985.
“I can still recall his voice, a few weeks ago, when I talked to him over the phone. In that soft voice, he just said, “Wafunga captain wakoka?”
“That question took me years back. I consider myself very lucky to have shared a dressing room with such characters like Misheck, Gift Mpariwa, Oliver Kateya, the Chunga brothers (Kembo and Moses), Angirayi Chapo and Clayton Munemo.
“These guys looked after me, they made me feel special, even playing against established names such as David Mwanza, Stanford “Stix” Mutizwa and Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo.
“As was the tradition at Dynamos, those days, the captain or any senior player, used to lead the team’s warm-up.
“I could feel his passion, it’s a pity he never got the chance to coach Dynamos.”
Mucherahowa recalled watching Chidzambwa playing for Dynamos, in the early ’80s, when his father used to take him to football matches.
“I was still a young boy, when I watched him playing for Dynamos,” he said. “My father, and his friends, used to take me, and my brother, to watch the football matches.
“Those days, the stand at the Mbare End at Rufaro, had not been erected yet. It was just a huge mould of soil.
“Misheck was playing right back and, at first, fans did not warm up to him because they compared him to his elder brother, Sunday.
“If I am not mistaken, he had a few own goals. He later moved to the centreback position, where he showed great improvement, to such an extent that if he was not playing, his absence was felt.
“He would put his body on the line, in defence of the club.”
Mucherahowa also remembers Misheck’s reaction, when he was promoted into the senior team.
“The senior team was just about to start the training session and Sunday called me to the centre of the group,” he said.
“He asked if there was anyone who did not know me, there was dead silence.
“I looked around and I saw all the big names that included Oliver Kateya, David Mandigora, Chapo and the Chunga brothers Moses and Kembo all looking at me.
“Most of these guys knew me as they always watched our juniors’ games.
“Sunday repeated the question and that was when Misheck raised his hand and said he did not know me.
“Sunday looked a bit surprised and asked him if he was sure and Misheck said, “Sunday, you asked if there is anyone who didn’t know this young man and I am telling you that I do not know him.’
“Sunday then introduced me to the group and told them that if they look after me, I was going to be a great player for Dynamos.
“That was when Misheck said that if I was Memory, then he knew me, he said he thought it was my elder brother.”
Mucherahowa said the Glamour Boys were a family.
“Misheck protected me so much, both on and off the field, I learnt a lot of things from him,” he said.
“On the field of play, he taught me to be vocal, which also became part of my game, when I took over the captaincy from Chapo.
“If you had a bad game, Misheck would tell you in a way that you would not be upset.
“He hated losing and I remember a game we lost 1-0 to Zimbabwe Saints after our goalkeeper, Lucky Dube, made a mistake.
“We played in a yellow kit, so our goalkeeper mistakenly passed the ball to a Saints player, who was wearing blue.
“Misheck was not happy and that resulted in a scuffle with the goalkeeper.”
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