Mongameli mustn’t hang around any day longer if he’s to make up for lost time

BY TINO MOMBESHORA

HARARE – I love a nice story, a fairytale, especially one of an emerging Zimbabwean sporting talent of extraordinary talents.

So when I first came across the excitement surrounding new Highlanders and Zimbabwe hot-shot Mongameli Tshuma, I was caught up in the euphoria.

I like to hear such kind of stuff.

It’s easy to like this rising attacking midfield maestro.

Mongameli Tshuma is a unique and charming local name. He’s a local lad, from Bulawayo, his given Ndebele name means a leader.

Bulawayo folks love their own with unmatched passion. And we haven’t had a prodigious footballing talent from those parts of our country in a very long time.

That's what makes Mongameli truly special, and a breath of fresh air.

It adds to the beautiful cultural diversity of our national team.

On top of that, Mongameli is being said to be possibly the new Peter Ndlovu.

Come to think of it, none other than the great Nsukuzonke! Priceless!

I too got caught up in the hype, because I liked the sound of it. I really did.

Until I enquired about his age.

24, I was told.

I thought to myself, the new Peter Ndlovu? At the age of 24?

At that age, Peter was already playing for his second team in the English Premier League, having arrived in that country from Zimbabwe barely out of his teens.

Mongameli is just beginning his career in Zimbabwe’s top-flight league, the PSL. His destiny, at the ripe footballing age of 24, isn’t yet clear.

Peter, in comparison, had not played a hell lot of games for Highlanders when Coventry City signed him in 1991 at around the age of 18.

Tinashe Nengomasha, Knowledge Musona, Khama Billiat and Marshall Munetsi travelled a similar path.

They all made it big in South Africa and became legendary Zimbabwe national team stars, having only left their homeland in their teen years, unheralded and only equipped with raw talents.

At 24, Tshuma needs to make up for lost time, pretty quick. He requires a big move, soon, as soon as the next transfer window in a few months’ time.

If he’s that good, as he has been said to be, then he's got enough to excite scouts and clubs in the more professional footballing environments outside Zimbabwe.

If you’re a good player, people don’t wait, they table offers without further delay.

I’m concerned that if Tshuma doesn’t secure a big move at the next available opportunity, which should be sooner than later, he may never be able to get it.

I believe he will, and I really like him.

He’s a top talent.

His off-the-ball movement, ball control, skill-sets, football IQ and turn of pace is natural. Poetry in motion.

And that’s not all he has. He’s the full package.

Monga exudes confidence, he’s got an aura about him, an attitude, the attitude of a guy who knows that he is good at his craft.

These are the kind of qualities that will see him make up for the lost time, if he makes the move, which has to be very soon.

*Tino Mombeshora is a writer, graphic artist and sports fan.