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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

NO one wants to wake up and read that they are dead.

Football legend Zenzo Moyo spent the week inundated by phone calls, some from fans, former teammates and ex-employers as news circulated on social media that he was dead.

A story with a headline “Zenzo Moyo hangs self at his home in Bulawayo” that was published by an online website led to many, those who didn’t read the whole story into thinking it was the football legend who had passed on.

True, a Zenzo Moyo from Bulawayo had committed suicide, but he was 38 years old, about seven years younger than the former Highlanders striker Zenzo Moyo.

The Zenzo who hanged himself was a teacher, who allegedly had duped people through a bogus scholarship scam.

Zemura, said he started getting calls last Sunday while playing social soccer with some former players.

“I think I should register my name and have it copyright protected,” jokingly said Zemura.

“Look, I’m alive and kicking. I got lots of calls saying I was dead. They were so disturbing especially to my family and some of my close friends. Some even rushed to confirm I was dead without even reading the whole story. They called my close associates, saying they saw a headline that I had committed suicide last Sunday and as the week progressed, I started receiving calls from my former teammates who are abroad, family, friends and supporters who were checking if I’m alive.

“I’m grateful to God to be alive and I’m working on making sure that Bulawayo City FC returns to the Premiership much stronger than before,” said Zemura.

The former footballer who had stints in Cyprus and Greece is the vice-chairman of Premiership returnees Bulawayo City.

Moyo said they have concluded setting up of their technical team that is headed by Philani “Beefy” Ncube who is being assisted by Farai Tawachera and Golding Dube. City has also swooped on three-time championship winning goalkeepers’ trainer with FC Platinum Daniel Khumalo.

“The Bulawayo City FC project is shaping up very well and I’m sure there are a lot of positives that it’s doing to the community. Look, most of these players, especially first team players the majority of whom are from Bulawayo are able to fend for their families through this project. There are 30 first team players, meaning 30 families excluding that of the technical staff are directly benefiting from the Bulawayo City FC project.

“There are about seven members of the senior team’s technical team, five people in the secretariat who are also making sure that the project doesn’t collapse.

“There’s the Under-20 side that has been promoted to Division Two, have the Under-18s, Under-16s, Under-14s and Under-12s. These are all coached by former players, who we are giving a platform to share with the youngsters what they went through during their playing days as well as sharpen their coaching skills,” said Moyo.

Among former footballers at City’s developmental ranks are former national team midfielder Johannes Ngodzo, Innocent Mapuranga, Bruce Tshuma and Wellington Sibanda.

Moyo revealed that plans are at an advanced stage to create synergies with his former club in Cyprus, Olympiakos Nicosia.

“Some of my friends from Cyprus have been asking how they can help and talks have started for possible twinning. It will be good not only for Bulawayo City FC to twin with Cyprus sides, but for the Bulawayo community because the children who will benefit are from this community,” said Moyo.

The former Highlanders striker said they are happy that Ingwebu Breweries will carry the financial burden of the team in the Premiership, adding that they are in talks with some corporates for partnerships.

“Ingwebu are on board and will be the main sponsor for the team. There are a number of companies that we are in talks with as the club moves to become self-sustaining,” he said. Recently, a Bulawayo City councilor Silas Chigora called for the dissolution of the football club. – @ZililoR