FORMER Warriors and Black Rhinos midfielder Lazarus “Mali” Muhoni was probably the first name on the team sheet when Sunday Chidzambwa was Zimbabwe’s national coach at the beginning of the 21st Century.
yesteryear profile with MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
Ironically, Muhoni was not a favourite of many Warriors fans, even though he had the uncanny ability to pop up in those important goal-scoring positions, which made him indispensable to the coach.
Muhoni even made the starting lineup at the country’s first match at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Tunisia in 2004 and delivered the inch perfect cross headed home by Peter Ndlovu to give Zimbabwe the lead in a match that ended in a 2-1 defeat to Egypt.
Standardsport caught up with the 2002 Premier Soccer League’s Soccer Star of the Year and now Black Rhinos juniors’ manager as he went down memory and spoke about the gift that ensured a successful football career.
“Most people think I was just a lucky player, but the truth is I had a gift of anticipation which nobody else had in the team. It was the reason why I made it into the Warriors squad in a team that was awash with Europe-based players,” the 40-year-old former attacking midfielder said.
“Even the coach, Mhofu, told me that he had seen that gift in me and it was all he asked of me in the national team. I could easily read play and anticipate where play would come from and immediately make my off-the-ball movements. By the time the cross or the pass came I would be in the best position to score or receive the final pass,” he said.
Muhoni reckons there has not been anybody else who has had the kind of instincts he had in football in the Warriors colours since his days, except for Tendai Ndoro, who is unfortunately used sparingly in the national team.
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Muhoni was an integral part of the team that qualified the nation to the maiden Afcon appearance in 2004.
He is mostly remembered for the solitary goal he scored against Mali during the Afcon qualifiers in September 2003 at the National Sports Stadium, which earned him the nickname “Mali”.
In the wake of the Warriors dismal campaign at the Gabon Africa Cup of Nations finals in January, Muhoni is of the opinion that the team lacked the quality which was in the 2004 class.
“The current team is also unfortunate as well because they do not have the quality of the players that were in our team. look at the number of Europe-based players we had going to Tunisia compared to that of the players who represented the country in Gabon,” he said.
“We had very good players who were doing well in Europe at that time, the likes of George Mbwando, Peter Ndlovu, Harlington Shereni and Dickson Choto.some were doing admirably well in South Africa like Tinashe Nengomasha and a few like us locally. Now the bulk of our team is playing in South Africa, making it impossible for the team to stand the heat against top Europe-based players,” Muhoni added.
Son to Ishmael Muhoni a former Umtali United winger, Muhoni began his football career at Sakubva Primary School playing for the senior team as a mere 10 year old.
He later joined the now defunct Zupco FC where he played alongside the likes of Joseph Takaringofa as well as the late goalkeeper Brian Mparutsa.
In a football career that spans close to two decades, Muhoni played for Tanganda, Bata Power, Buffaloes, Black Rhinos, Dynamos and Caps United until he retired in 2012.
Apart from football, Muhoni is a keen musician, a gift he inherited from his father and grandfather who were choir directors at Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP).
Muhoni is the one who wrote the CCAP Sakubva hit song Chauta which dominated the gospel music airwaves in 2004. He is also part of CCAP Mbare, who churned out the popular song Nganganga.
“Those I grew up with know me from church as a singer at CCAP. I wrote the song Chauta back in 1995 during a work break when I worked for Bata in Gweru and also played football for Bata Power,” revealed Muhoni.
“I am still a choir director at CCAP Mbare and CCAP Sakubva. I have written close to 90 songs in Chewa and English which are still to be recorded. I am going to record at least five albums in the future,” he added.
Muhoni also used to be part of a jazz outfit — Mutare Band — where they sang together with former top referee Kenny Marange, who is also a musician in his own right.
After he hung up his boots in 2012, Muhoni ventured into football management and is currently managing the Black Rhinos juniors project.
While he does not dispute that he may venture into coaching as he is already in the process of acquiring coaching badges, he says his heart was into management at the moment.
“Now I have finished my playing career and I have decided to work on the development of football from the grassroots.
“I am a manager of Black Rhinos juniors, not a coach because I am determined to see all the administration duties being executed well. I have seen a lot that needs to be addressed in junior football and that is why I decided to go and help in the development of the game,” he said.
However, Muhoni attributed the decline to the standards of the game from that of his generation to lack of proper football development in the country.
Quizzed about life after football, the former national team midfielder refused to talk about his material possessions but said he was leading a comfortable life.
“Football has helped me a lot financially and in life generally. I do not usually like talking about what I own, especially in public, but what I can tell you is that I am living a decent life because of football,” he said.
Muhoni co-runs a company that specialises in wedding décor, car hire and video filming for social and corporate events known as Royla Hiring Services along with his wife Daisy.
The couple is blessed with four children, Royce (12), who is a football team captain at Belvedere Primary School, Latifa (10), Lazarus Jnr (6) and Tiara (3).
