Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Zimpapers Sports Hub
IN an unprecedented move Simba Bhora made history by having five players make the cut in the 11 Soccer Star of the Year finalists, but questions will remain on how seemingly better deserving stars like Mthokozisi Msebe and Tichaona Chipunza were left out.
Simba Bhora were last weekend crowned PSL champions, a first for a club outside Bulawayo, Harare and Zvishavane in independent Zimbabwe.
Prior to Independence in 1980, only St Pauls Musami had won the league title, shocking the nation as some of the players were pupils at the rural mission school whose team was coached by the famous Father Davis.
In recent memory Highlanders has had the highest number of players appearing in the Soccer Star of the Year calendar when in 2012 they had Masimba Mambare, Innocent Mapuranga, Ariel Sibanda and Mthulisi Maphosa making the cut.
Simba Bhora went one better this year with Walter Musona, Isheanesu Mauchi, Tymon Machope, Blessing Moyo and Webster Tafa making the cut.
However, the performance of the team fell far away from dominant Black Rhinos, Caps United, Dynamos, Highlanders and Dynamos sides of the past that had so many players engraved legendary status in their early playing days.
Questions have however, been raised on how Msebe, the Simba Bhora six-goal hero, who shone in midfield and combustion room director Chipunza missed out.
Coach Tonderai Ndiraya was on many occasions heard in interviews hailing these two teams for solid performances.
Why a team with not the best defence could have as many three defenders smuggled among the 11 is a mystery?
If leaving out the duo was criminal, eyebrows have been raised over the omission of exciting and dominant players from second-placed FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum and Manica Diamonds.
Brian Banda had a magnificent season orchestrating moves for FC Platinum.
Who can forgive the selectors who included club coaches, captains and sportswriters for forgetting about statistics conveniently and leaving out Nyasha Gurende, Kuzivakwashe Madima, Boid Mutukure and
Munashe Gavaza for shutting out opponents to come out with the best defence of the Premiership.
TelOne’s Chris Mverechena and Nkosiyabo Masilela were among the most outstanding players all season as did Manica’s Lawrence Masibera, Farai Banda and Kelvin Gwao.
Caps United whose lukewarm performance saw them finish ninth with one of the worst defences had a surprise two players Godknows Murwira and Kingsley Mureremba who was turned back from the Cosafa Under-20 Championships with questions over his age.
In a poor season by Bosso standards, Highlanders have 17-goal hero Lynoth Chikuhwa to atone for the terrible season.
