BREAKING into the Dynamos FC first team at 16 years, when not everyone back then could make it at DeMbare, Tichaona Diya remains one of the club’s most decorated stars.
He was feted with silverware as a player and was goalkeepers’ trainer when under Callisto Pasuwa Dynamos won four consecutive championships. It was a great achievement, the second such milestone in the era of the Zimbabwe Premiership.
To have broken into a first team with stars like Godfrey Paradza, Stanley Chirambadare, Claudius Zviripayi and Vitalis Takawira is a measure of the quality coaches had seen in the young Mbare goalminder.
Born in Mbare 47 years ago, Diya, brother to former Dynamos, How Mine and Highlanders FC goalie, Munyaradzi and father to Zifa Southern Region Division One shot stopper Beaver, Tichaona attended Shingirayi Primary School and proceeded to Harare High School.
Tichaona played for just two teams in his career, Dynamos and Air Zimbabwe Jets.
Surrounded by his best friend Gilbert Mushangazhike, Chamu Musanhu, Garikayi Mukangiwa and Charles Yohane, football greatness was written all over his development as both human being and footballer.
“I grew up in the Dynamos team system, so it was easy to adjust to the fans’ high expectations,” said Tichaona.
But how did he break into the first team?
Dynamos were walloped 4-0 by Hwange at the Colliery Stadium one afternoon in 1992. Peter Fanwell was between the goalposts and the technical team did not hesitate to ring the changes.
The technical team decided to make a gamble to an already capped in the Zimbabwe Under-17 side Tichaona the following week.
It was not that odd small team versus Zimbabwe giant outing — but the Harare derby, Dynamos against Caps United at Rufaro.
Those days Caps were probably third or fourth in terms of crowd appeal as many football neutrals associated with them more than the traditional Big Three Dynamos, Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints.
For a while Tichaona had been seen as that “Young Boy” who hugs Peter Fanwell before the first 11 enters the field for the game to start. As he had never been called to action, many in the full to the rafters Rufaro sympathised with the young shot stopper. Others felt he would collapse and lead to Dynamos getting a hard beating from a team that for years the country’s most successful side had struggled to beat.
Tichaona said he was happy with his performance in the 1-0 win in the Harare Derby. What made it sweeter was that as Dynamos they had gone for a long time without getting bragging rights over their neighbours.
Tichaona made history by becoming the first Under-17 national team goalkeeper. Up to about 1992, Zimbabwe was only active in the Under-20s in the age-groups international tournament.
“I joined Dynamos juniors at the age of 12 and played for the Under-14s. I am the first Zimbabwe national Under-17 goalkeeper and I played in that age-group and the national Under-20s. I failed to play for the Under-23s because of an injury which took four years to heal,” he said with disappointment as it hampered his career development and denied him several trophies won by Hainangozi.
“The players I found in the Dynamos first team were Henry Charles, Angirayi Chapo, Peter Fanwell, Simon Chuma, Vitalis Takawira, Memory Mucherahowa, Stanley Chirambadare, Elvis Chiweshe, Taurayi Mangwiro, Moses Chunga, Francis Shonhayi and Clayton Munemo,” said Tichaona.
They would later be joined by Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Bheki Mlotshwa, Musanhu, Hope Chihota, Ernest Masango, Pasuwa, Watson Muhoni and Kaitano Tembo.
Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe, Daniel “Dididi” Ncube and David George were singled out as influential figures in Tichaona’s football career.
George and Ncube had successful careers as players of the Seven Million People club.
Chigowe is rated highly in junior development having produced a number of stars at Dynamos who played for both the Young Warriors and Warriors.
Growing up Tichaona admired Japhet Mparutsa largely believed to have been the best-ever goalkeeper produced in the country.
Tichaona believes back then Dynamos had a very vibrant junior policy which produced hordes of stars that made the club a marvel.
A Caf C holder and a Germany and China goalkeepers’ trainers certificates, Tichaona who set on the DeMbare bench at only 15, has 2008 as one of his best years as a coach.
Tichaona played in an era where there were strikers of note like Makwinji Soma-Phiri, Adam Ndlovu, Jerry Chidawa, Maronga Nyagela, Jimmy Mbewe, Kenneth Ngulube, Archbald Chashaya, Ishmael Meki, Ishmael Flamingo and Uyera Mkorongo, who were a nightmare to many goalkeepers.
Dynamos reached the semi-finals of the Caf Champions League in that year.
Married to Thabitha Madzudzo, the couple was blessed with six children Beaver, Beverley, Washington, Chriistian, Brenna and Aiden.