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Ricky Zililo

HE’S arguably the most successful Highlanders captain, leading the country’s oldest club to three consecutive Premier Soccer League titles, and it will take something extraordinary for any other Bosso skipper to surpass his achievements.

Central defender Thulani “Biya” Ncube led Highlanders to a historic feat, winning three championships on the trot, first in the 1998-1999 season, then in 2000 and 2001 before leaving to joining Ajax Cape Town in South Africa.

Bosso were a mean machine and Ncube earned legendary status as he led a host of stars that gave joy to multitudes of fans.

Among the galaxy of stars with Biya in that trailblazing Highlanders squad were 2000 Soccer Star of the Year Zenzo Moyo and 2002 Soccer Star of the Year Dazzy Kapenya, Bosso assistant coach Bekithemba Ndlovu, Richard Choruma, Gift Lunga Jnr, Thabani Masawi, Blessing Gumiso, Johannes Ngodzo and Siza Khoza.

Biya was a true leader on the pitch and could motivate when the chips were down, restrategise when he realised the coach’s plans were not working and at times single handedly won matches for Bosso.

The retired defender is now into collegiate coaching in the United States of America where he has been based since 2003.

Highlanders have gone 14 years without winning the PSL title and their last league championship win was in 2006 when their former midfielder Methembe Ndlovu returned from the United States and coached them to victory.

Could Biya be thinking of following in Ndlovu’s footsteps and become Bosso’s saviour?

The Gwabalanda-bred star told Chronicle Sport that he harbours dreams of one day coaching Bosso.

“Yes, one day I would like to coach Highlanders, a club that gave me fame and unlocked opportunities,” said Ncube.

Biya, who broke into first team in 1996, started off as a goalkeeper while at Inzwananzi Primary School and also turning out for Gwabalanda-based club, Cambridge.

At 14, Ncube moved to Highlanders’ rivals Zimbabwe Saints and stayed with Chikwata for two seasons before joining the Bosso juniors when he was in Form Three after being lured by renowned juniors’ coach Ali “Baba” Dube.

At Zimbabwe Saints, his teammate was midfield maestro Choruma, who later reunited with him at Bosso in the championship winning side. He also played with one of his closest friends Mlamuleli Ncube, who ended up playing for Zimbabwe Saints’ first team and Hwange FC.

In the Bosso junior ranks, Biya occasionally played as a midfielder or striker hence his ability to easily adapt from defence to midfield when the coach needed him to during his playing days.

He singles out Methembe Ndlovu as his childhood hero.

Biya, who grew to become a versatile player, made his debut for Bosso in 1996 against Blackpool in a match where Collins Kabote gave him a torrid time.

“My first game for the senior team, which was supposed to be memorable, turned out to be my worst as we lost 3-1 to Blackpool. Kabote really gave me a torrid time,” said Ncube.

He said the encounter against old foes, Dynamos in 1999 is his most memorable game.

The build up to that match was filled with drama and tension after the then PSL secretary-general Lesly Gwindi notified Bosso that striker Moyo and defender Kapenya were ineligible for the tie due to suspension.

Bosso fought hard to have the duo included in their match day squad and eventually defied the PSL arguing that the two players should have missed earlier matches if indeed they were suspended.

The fact that Gwindi was also a former Dynamos secretary-general did not help matters.

“My best game was against Dynamos in 1999 when I scored a penalty and we won 2-0. That year we won the championship and beating Dynamos was sweet.

“Winning the 98-99 championship in my first year as club captain is one of those treasured moments in my football career. I also look back with pride on the year I was afforded an opportunity to captain the Young Warriors and senior national team,” Ncube said.

Moyo, who was the then designated Highlanders’ penalty taker said he gave Ncube the responsibility to take the hotly contested penalty.

“That penalty was hotly contested. I remember there was uncertainty if Dazzy and I were going to play. You won’t believe it, I picked the ball preparing to take the spot kick, but all of a sudden everything went blurry and I said to Biya, ‘Bro, igedi angisaliboni tshaya umbekwa’ and he hit the roof of the net. He was a warrior, a leader, who didn’t shy away from responsibility. If it were some other players, they would have shied away from taking that penalty,” said Moyo.

Just what drove that trailblazing Bosso side?

“We were a family. We could lift each other’s spirits and we were all fighters. I can’t single out any player who outclassed others because we believed in teamwork. We had that winning mentality and fought to the last whistle,” Ncube said.

Biya became a household name, not only among Bosso fans, but the country’s football followers, especially when he simultaneously captained Highlanders, the national Under-23 and the Warriors before leaving in 2002 to join Ajax Cape Town.

He regrets leaving for South Africa “late” in his career, as he didn’t fully enjoy playing in a foreign land. He believes if he had moved to SA earlier, he could have gone on to play overseas.

He moved to America in 2003 but a nagging knee injury forced him into retirement.

Besides coaching in America, Ncube also runs the Biya and Friends Academy in Gwabalanda.

“Bosso can bring back the glory days if we start developing our players like what we used to do. There’s a lot of talent but we need the right people to develop that talent,” Ncube said.

Highlanders are planning to set up an academy, with some club members keen to fund revival of the once revered junior policy. — @ZililoR