Charles Mabika, Special Correspondent
WHICH one is Dynamos’ finest-ever squad?
This never-ending debate always dominates the Glamour Boys fans discussions in and outside the country.
Those fighting from one corner feel the country’s most successful side’s original squad of the ’60s was the real deal.
It featured the likes of ‘keeper Josiah Akende, Danny “Bricks” Thomas, Obediah “Wasu” Sarupinda, Patrick “Amato” Dzvene, Lameck “Honda” Mlambo, Alois “Smiler” Mesikano, Freddy “Karamba” Mukwesha, Alan “Teacher” Hlatywayo, Jimmy “Daddy” Finch and Bernard “Magitare” Marriot-Lusengo.
Others say the DeMbare outfit of the ’80s was the finest.
It was driven by Moses “Bambo” Chunga and boasted the likes of David “Yogi” Mandigora, Kenneth Jere, Stanley Chirambadare, Angirayi Chapo, Kembo Chunga, Edward Katsvere, Gift M’pariwa and Charles Chirwa.
Then, there are those who feel the squad that reached the 1998 Champions’ League final was the best.
It had the likes of Lloyd Mutasa, Memory Mucherahohwa, Ernest Masango, Vint Fulawo, Tonderai Ndiraya, Callisto Pasuwa and goalkeepers Gift Muzadzi and Ernest Chirambare.
But, there also was one in the mid-and-late ’70s which had a crack forward called David “Broom Boy” George.
The striker this week picked the two-legged Southern African Champions of Champions final in 1976, against South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, as the most memorable match in his illustrious career.
He was signed by Dynamos from lower division side Mutanga United a year earlier.
The deal was concluded on a Sunday morning and he was thrust into the team’s line-up later that afternoon against Arcadia United in a league match at Gwanzura.
He was part of the DeMbare team that won five of six cup tournaments in 1976 (only losing to Zimbabwe Saints in the semi-finals of the Chibuku Trophy), scoring 67 goals in 19 cup fixtures over the season.
“We won the league title, Nyore Nyore Charity Shield, BAT Rosebowl, Castle Cup and Southern African Champions of Champions except the Chibuku Trophy where we were edged 2-1 by Zimbabwe Saints in the semi-finals,” said George.
“We did exact revenge upon Saints when we met in that same season’s Castle Cup final and we hammered them 8-1.’’
But, it was that showdown against Pirates,which will always linger in George’s memory.
“It was a four-team tournament that had been jointly organised by the Football Association of Rhodesia and South African Football Association,’’ he recalls.
“We were drawn against Moroka Swallows in the semis and our fellow countrymen, Black Aces, met Orlando Pirates in the other semi-final.
“Aces lost to Pirates in their semi-final tie while we knocked out Swallows to set up a mouth-watering clash with the Buccaneers in the final.
“If one looks back at our star-studded side, he or she could easily see why I rate it as the best Dynamos line-up ever.
“Our ‘keeper was national team goalminder Matthew Mwale and the defence was made up of Shadreck Ngwenya, Shepherd Murape (and later Sunday Chidzambwa who joined Dynamos at the start of the 1977 season from Chibuku Shumba), Isaac Nhema and Simon Sachiti.
“We had arguably the best midfield duo in the country — Shaw ‘Kojak’ Handriade and Kuda Muchemeyi — whilst our strike-force was an awesome combination that was undoubtedly the best in the land with George ‘Mastermind’ Shaya, Ernest ‘Nyamuzihwa’ Kamba, Oliver ‘Monitoring Force’ Kateya, Daniel ‘Dhidhidhi’ Ncube and myself.
“In Shaya – whom I rate as the finest-ever player produced in this country – we had a terrific talisman who was an intelligent game reader and could win a match almost single-handedly.’’
Forty four years later, he still remembers the match.
“In the first leg in Soweto’s Orlando Stadium, the stadium was packed to the rafters by 10am, with an intimidatory massive crowd singing themselves hoarse,’’ he said.
“And they (Orlando Pirates) also had their own talisman — Jomo Sono — who was nicknamed ‘The Crown Prince of Soweto’.
‘’And it was no surprise when we went down to a Sono-inspired Buccaneers by three goals to nil at half-tme.
“Early in the second half, we were further rocked by two more goals it seemed we were down and out at 5-0.
“Then ‘The Mastermind’ took control of the show and he set up two goals for Ncube and Kamba. I was on the bench that day and really wanted to be part of the action.
“Shaya then dribbled past the entire Pirates defence to score a third and the whole stadium was stunned into silence by this amazing comeback.
‘’Tragedy struck after ‘The Mastermind’ was crudely hacked down by one of their defenders and was stretchered off. The match ended 5-3 in their favour.’’
There were changes ahead of the second leg.
“Kamba left for his new club Bata Bullets in Malawi a few days before that second leg and I was thrust into the starting line-up for that encounter,’’ said George.
‘’I repaid the faith shown in me by the technical team with a top-class show as I really ‘swept their backyard with my broom’.
“Just before kick-off, in front of a sellout crowd, there was a heavy downpour but it did nothing to dampen the carnival atmosphere in the huge stadium.
“Our player-coach Shadreck Ngwenya had spurred us on in the dressing room reminding us that we needed to thank the faithful thousands who had turned up, believing in us to overcome the deficit.
“The Mastermind was back in the side and, straight from kick-off, he set us on a recovery path when he scored, I then scored the second goal before Kateya made it 3-0.
‘’Sono, who was marked out of the game that day by our resolute defence, then scored to square the aggregate score at 6-6.
“As the whole stadium watched in bewilderment, anticipating extra-time with a few minutes remaining, we were awarded a free-kick just outside their penalty box.
“A short pass from Shaya to Ngwenya saw him expertly back-heel the ball to Muchemeyi who blasted home past their ‘keeper Partson Banda to make it 7-6.
“That goal was greeted with an uproar that must have been heard all over the high-density suburb of Mbare.
“After the final whistle, Sono cut a solemn as he openly wept for a long time as the overwhelming shock of the day’s outcome took its toll on him.
“The celebrations after the game lasted until the next morning all over the country as we were crowned the inaugural kings of Southern Africa.”
George would go on to play for five more seasons for his beloved club, including the senior national team.
Meanwhile, former Dynamos ‘keeper Charles Gwatidzo passed away on Thursday night at his home in Marimba Park after suffering a stroke last year.
He was 73.
Gwatidzo, who was a board member at Dynamos, served as the popular Harare giants’ first choice ‘keeper from 1969 until 1974.
Mourners are gathered at No. 9 Deka Road, Marimba Park, Mufakose.
Burial is set for today at Warren Hills Cemetery at midday.
– HERALD