Nqobizitha Maenzanise
| Nqobizitha Maenzanise | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Nqobizitha Maenzanise January 22, 1969 |
| Died | February 17, 2014 (aged 45) Mpilo Central Hospital |
| Cause of death | Diabetes and Blood Pressure complications |
| Resting place | West Park Cemetery, Bulawayo |
| Nationality | Zimbabwe |
| Education | St Columbus High School |
| Occupation |
|
| Home town | Bulawayo |
| Spouse(s) | Kwanele |
| Children | Nozipho |
| Relatives | Nonsizi Ndlovu (Sister) |
Nqobizitha Maenzanise was a Zimbabwean professional footballer who played for the now defunct Amazulu Football Club. He also once played for Highlanders Football Club and Zimbabwe Saints Football Club as a midfielder.
Background
Nqobizitha was born on 22 January 1969 and died on 17 February 2014.[1]
Education
He did his secondary education at St Columbus High School in Bulawayo[2]
Career
Maenzanise started his playing career at Merlin Husk and then went on to play for Highlanders from 1985 to 1991 competing for a place in the team that had the likes of Titus Majola and Willard Khumalo. He later joined Zimbabwe Saints Football Club from Highlanders Football Club in 1991 where he stayed for two season and left for Durban where he played for premier sides D' Alberton Callies and Royal Tigers. On relegation of Tigers in 1994 he came back home and tried signing for Shu Shine but his clearance was blocked and the transfer did not materialise since Shu Shine got relegated and he had to settle for Amazulu where he became the club captain.[3]
For a young player who battled for a starting place in the 1985 to 1989 Highlanders team that had the late Titus Majola, Willard Khumalo, Tito Paketh, The late David Phiri, Thoko Sithole, the late Tutani Moyo and the late Ronnie Jowa, his talents should have taken him places. Growing up he played for a team called YCC and after matches they were given meatballs and other treats. He later joined Zimbabwe Saints with his other friends whom he played football with at school level because the club gave them football boots and tracksuits.
After leaving Mzilikazi Primary School he moved to St Columbas where as a little boy played with Nesbert Tamburike, former Eagles and Highlanders dribbbling wizard Tanny Banda, Dave Magagula and the late Lazarus "Mebra" Mushandadope. He soon got bored at Zimbabwe Saints and moved to Highlanders where he played with Nhlanhla Sithole, Gary Mkandawire, the late Henry Nyandoro and Gift Soft Banda. He joined Bosso because of Ali Dube, the Highlanders coach whom he said had great methods that every junior wanted to play under him and his juniors won in the city and nationally and they swept basically everything on offer before another move to Merlin Husky.
He made his debut for the first team in 1987 when they returned from the Aberdeen Festival. The match was against bitter rivals, Dynamos Football Club in a cup match and the Dynamos team had the likes of Moses Chunga and Gift Mpariwa who were on top of their game. A fallout with new coach Roy Barreto in 1989 saw him leave for Zimbabwe Saints. Maenzanise got a job as a court interpreter due to his knowledge of many languages that included Chewa, Ndebele, Shona and English through former Highlanders chairman Douglas Mkwananzi.
He later quit faction riddled Zimbabwe Saints in 1991 and Professor Lawrence Ngubane who had watched him in a match in Harare invited him to join Daberton Callies of Durban where he played alongside Chippa Molatedi, legendary Harold Legodi, Calvin Petersen and dribbling ace Zane Moosa. After his stints with the Durban side and Royal Tigers, he got home sick and came back to Zimbabwe. He contemplated re-joining either Bosso or Saints and after over a year of being a cross border trader, he joined AmaZulu in 1996. He recalled giving their opponents a good run for their money whilst lining up with Isaac Riyano, Ronald Sibanda and Nkosana Gumbo.
He had good memories playing for the national team under Sunday Chidzambwa, Benedict Moyo, Marc Duvillard, Roy Barreto, Clemens Westerhof who once described him as the Jay Jay Okocha of Zimbabwe, Gibson Homela and Barry Daka. An inguinal hernia injury at the age of 33 forced him into retirement and it was the year Amazulu won the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League title a fitting closing chapter for one of the greatest footballers to play for Amazulu, Highlanders Football Club, Zimbabwe Saints Football Club and the Warriors.[4]
National Team Caps
Maenzanise earned his first cap for the national team in 1997 at the age of 28 against Angola in Luanda after coming on for Lloyd Chitembwe and at one end captained the Warriors. He blamed fate and not being understood at times as the reason why he did not go far. He earned his first cap at the age of 28 despite showing better potential as a junior which saw him battle for positions in probably the best Bosso midfield after independence. He was capped 25 times at senior level of the national team.
Teams Played For
- Merlin Husk (Division 1, 1985)
- Highlanders Football Club
- Zimbabwe Saints Football Club
- D' Alberton Callies
- Royal Tigers
- Amazulu
Gallery
References
- ↑ [1], ‘’The Herald’’, Published: 18 February 2014, Retrieved: August 12, 2019
- ↑ [2], ‘’The Herald Story’’, Published: 18 February 2014, Retrieved: August 12, 2019
- ↑ Japhet Ncube, ‘’Horizon Score’’, Published August 1997, Retrieved: 11 August 2019
- ↑ Lovemore Dube, [3], The Chronicle, Published: 19 October, 2013, Accessed: 24 July, 2022
