UNATTACHED footballer Norman Togara has always courted a cocktail of emotions from fans and club administrators alike.
BY ALBERT MARUFU
To those who remember his days at Chiredzi’s Tshovani Primary School, he is “Chikozho” (the clever rat).
At Masvingo United and Dynamos, they called him “Wezhira” (homeboy), while his teammates simply named him “King Selassie” after Rastafarians’ Jesus incarnate, His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie.
However, football administrators from various clubs ranging from Masvingo United, Dynamos, CAPS United, Shooting Stars, FC Platinum and Gunners say he is a problem child who regularly played truant.
Togara is known to walk away at the slightest misunderstanding or whenever he feels his rights are being trodden upon.
In 2007 he brewed a shocker by deserting Dynamos when all seemed rosy. This was despite him having captained the side for a year. He resurfaced at Shooting Stars only to leave them for CAPS United after one season.
Much to the disappointment of CAPS United fans, the outspoken character who once posted on his Facebook page that he only started wearing underwear when he was overgrown, only played in pre-season friendly matches.
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As it had become his modus operandi, he quit the club to join Gunners where he won the championship in 2009. Cash-rich FC Platinum made an appearance on the football scene and Chikozho promptly packed his bags and headed for Zvishavane.
The money bags however did not wait for him to desert; they sent him packing during the off-season despite the defender’s four goals and winning the club president’s Players of the Year Award.
“People just choose not to understand me. I am a family man and will never tolerate nonsense. If I am not paid what we would have agreed on, I will go home to Chiredzi and listen to roots reggae by artists like Burning Spear. Sometimes you come back from a soccer match only to find your household goods having been thrown outside because of non-payment of rentals by these club officials,” said Togara who laughed it off when asked if he smokes marijuana.
“In Chiredzi I run a hardware shop, Fast Pack and N Togara Cellphones. Besides, I also own a house in the town unlike in other towns where I sometimes stay in lodges,” said the 32-year-old defender.
Togara feels that Chiredzi, with its familiar environs, offers him a sense of security which other cities, especially Harare, fails to provide.
“Chiredzi is home to me and just being there helps me start all over again. People will always look at my absence from these teams, but do not check the circumstances. In cases where rentals will not have been paid I just pack my belongings and head home since I am foreign to Harare.”
Despite quitting Dynamos to join Shooting Stars in 2007, Togara still has fond memories of the club and did not rule out a comeback. “I enjoyed my stay at Dynamos and formed one of the best defensive partnerships with James Matola especially in 2003. The team was very good with players like Agent Sawu, Cephas Chimedza, Clive Mwale, Eddie Mashiri, Francis Chandida and Edmore Mufema,” he said.
“We could have won the championship that year, but the team was docked points over the use of Mufema. It was painful, but such is life. I was happy when I won the championship with Gunners FC in 2009,” he said.
As if to spite FC Platinum for showing him the door during the off-season, the steely defender also wrote on his Facebook page: “If you reach 30 years in Zimbabwe soccer, you are deemed old. More over if you look at other countries, they will tell you that you have reached maturity level.” But he promised to bounce back; “So sad to miss the first games of ZPSL. Anyway after harvest is over I will be back. To all those who love me Wezhira, Chikozho, King Selassie nuh give up. Jah guide.”
