Boyhood allies in cup final showdown
Mqondisi Dube | Friday April 17, 2015 17:55
It was prior to the two sides’ decisive meeting at Anfield last season. Rogers was equally complimenting.
The two worked together at Chelsea, but the colourful Mourinho could not bottle his excitement when Brazilian Willian broke free to secure a vital victory over his ally.
The Portuguese effectively took off his mask with a frenzied celebration after Chelsea crushed Liverpool’s title hope with a decisive 2-0 win.
An irritated Rodgers watched as Mourinho’s unbridled joy fouled the Anfield air. Later, he admitted their friendship was naturally affected by endless rival encounters.
And it would be no different at the National Stadium in Gaborone tomorrow night.
Former teammates, Madinda Ndlovu and Rahman Gumbo go toe to toe in a historic cup final. It is the first ever time the two face each other in a cup final, nearly two decades since they left Bulawayo side, Highlanders.
Gumbo was a steely, unsophisticated midfielder who had a keen eye for goal while the diminutive Madinda Ndlovu ran the show from the right wing with storming pace.
The two enjoyed lengthy success with Bulawayo giants, Highlanders and the famous Dream Team under German coach, Reinhard Fabisch.
Both had decent stints in Europe with Madinda in Germany while Gumbo was in Denmark and Cyprus, later.
They later returned to Highlanders to see off their playing days before embarking on coaching journey.
Ndlovu is largely acknowledged as a coach with a sharp eye for talent while Gumbo is a trophy specialist.
Ndlovu’s hard work seemingly took long to bear fruit with his first major trophy coming in 2012 with Mochudi Centre Chiefs.
Since then, he has gone on to become the most successful Premier League coach with three titles.
He won two league titles with Chiefs and made a successful return to Township Rollers last season.
Gumbo has blazed the trail in his native Zimbabwe, where he won the domestic title with Highlanders three times and won cups with Caps United.
He then moved to Malawi where he won the league with MTN Wanderers. The former Warriors midfielder then joined a unique and stellar cast of coaches to win league titles in three different countries when he led Rollers to glory in 2010.
In that year, Rollers claimed a double as they also won the Coca Cola Cup.
Ndlovu and Gumbo have worked together at Highlanders as coaches prior to Gumbo leading the Zimbabwe side to three consecutive titles.
While they have travelled a journey, which only took them separate ways when they moved into coaching, tomorrow night presents a historic occasion.
It would be the first time that the two former Zimbabwe greats sit on opposite benches in a cup final.
They have faced each other in the league early on in the season with the game ending in a stalemate. However, there would be no such luxury tomorrow, as there has to be a winner.
“It is going to be a good game, I hope the fans get a good final. Both teams have quality. We also hope the referee on the day would be up to the task,” Gumbo said yesterday.
Gumbo and Ndlovu are acutely aware of the fresh significance of the Mascom Top 8 final. The pre and post-match handshakes would be varied, depending on the outcome.
Rollers and GU have stuttered in the league when Chiefs, barring any boardroom ‘coup’, have all but secured the league title. It leaves the two fighting to save their season with the Top 8 trophy offering an opportunity for redemption.
It is a winner-takes-all situation with the victor on the night assured of a quiet sleep.
Both coaches are yet to win the Premier League’s only knockout competition, but their respective sides have won it once each.