Never dreamt of playing for Zimbabwe’s Big Three: Machazane
Crossing the Zimbabwe football ‘Big Three’ Rubicon is hardly imagined! That probably justifies the rare count in these poorly documented transfer episodes. And for the latest entry, the seventh or eighth depending on one’s accuracy, Marshall Machazane playing for Highlanders, then Dynamos and now Caps United was never in the wildest of his dreams.
In the modern era, that count now stands at eight with Lovemore Ncube, Stewart Murisa, Munyaradzi Diya, Rodrick Mutumwa, Stephen Alimenda, Newman Sianchali, Valentine Ndaba and Machazane, but undocumented such moves before the break of the PSL dawn remain possible.
For Machazane, who cut his football milk teeth as a toddler at Bulawayo giants, Highlanders, 16 years ago and has just landed at the Green Machine, such a dream in his career never crossed his sleep but has always been committed to any of his employers without intimidation.
“Growing up as a toddler, I never dreamt of playing for the Big three teams, I grew up at Highlanders, and it’s all that I knew growing up. This has taught me that we can plan as humans, but God has the final say with our lives,” Machazane tells FARPost.
Quizzed on possible intimidation, Machazane said he has always been ready for challenges.
“Moving between these clubs carries a lot of pressure and intimidation, but it never did anything to me because I love challenges. Football is a pressure game; if you can’t handle the pressure, you won’t grow as a player.
“I knew what I was doing when I joined Dynamos and now Caps United, so I expected anything. When I play for a team, I give 100%. I can respect the former teams I played for in the past, but that does not deter my performance or intimidate me when playing any match.
“As a player, I take every game seriously and understand we have to play to win. I might even be friends with former teammates, but when on the field, we are opponents at that time and let the best win the game,” says the 35-year-old.
Such moves carry fan love and fan hatred. The steely defender feels it is premature to judge where best the love was. He, however, promises a response upon his unforeseeable retirement.
“It’s tough because I just started working at Caps United. When I retire, ask me that question, and I will have a good answer,” added Machazane.
The much-travelled defender has had stints at now-defunct Quelaton and equally holds dear his six-month-long term in Eswatini football and would not mind the last dance if another opportunity for a final dance comes.
It has been nine years since the former Highlanders junior played his last match in the MTN Premier League of Eswatini, but he cherished the warm fans who welcomed him.
On the 12th of May 2013, Machazane starred in the season’s curtain downer Mbabane Highlanders’ 5-1 win over bitter rivals Mbabane Swallows at a packed Somhlolo National Stadium on their way down to first division football.
Providing two to five-goal haul in which Muzi Dlamini scored a brace, Vuyani Mazibuko, Sipho Tsabedze, and Lungelo Tsabedze weighed in with solitary strikes, and Mfanufuthi Bhembe claimed a consolation, and Hloniphani Ndebele being a second-half substitute, Machazane bowed to a winning relegation exit.
Eswatini was his second international home after a Botswana stint where he turned out for the Madinda Ndlovu coached Mochudi Centre Chiefs after turning out for Highlanders and Quelaton earlier.
Upon return to Zimbabwe, a failed attempt to rejoin his boyhood club then under Kelvin Kaindu, Machazane trekked to the Eastern highlands before joining prison warders Whawha Football Club.
He was to spend two seasons at Dynamos tasting the captaincy.
Machazane arrives at Makepekepe after a stint with the Sunshine City Boys- Harare City, and possible retirement remains a highly remote call.
By Munyaradzi Munzabwa