IF many were to be asked if they still remember former Black Rhinos FC’s combative midfield destroyer Collen Dube, the answer would probably be a big NO.
A number would even say the only Dube ever to play for the army team is Eddie.
Yet in May of 1984, when Black Rhinos were making their Super League debut, in a season the soldiers won the championship, there was one Gwanda born Collen Dube. He was a typical grafter who destroyed the opposition’s midfield thwarting many build ups with a combative game.
He had joined the club from Masvingo Bullets, a Division Two side that was knocked out of the FA Cup by a narrow 1-0 scoreline by Gweru United in a match watched by Rhinos scouts.
Back then one had to conjure up some magic on the field to be recognised. With the galaxy of stars Sherperd Murape and Ashton Nyazika had at their disposal, recognition for other players was a bare minimum as a number of the big name players already attracted media attention and were now playing and living on their reputations.
But because they were real gems whose spell at the top of their own individual game and team effort was sustained for a long period.
Dube would have had to do something out of the ordinary to eclipse Stanley Ndunduma, Stanfors “Stix” M’tizwa, Japhet Mparutsa, William Chikauro, Simon “AK” Mugabe, Maronga “The Bomber” Nyangela and Hamid “Muzukuru” Dhana who were already household names in the local game.
Ndunduma and M’tizwa had burst into the limelight with the exciting Caps Rovers FC later to change to Caps United in 1979 when they won the replayed Chibuku Trophy final against Zimbabwe Saints. Their rise had seen them make it into national teams and be regulars and also making appearances in the glamorous Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year Calendar.
Dube played the old Number Six (6) role meaning he was providing cover to the Rhinos back four and the legendary Mparutsa in goal.
“I was a marker, my job was to destroy moves of the opposition. My colleagues in midfield Stix M’tizwa, Hamid Dhana and Ndunduma were your typical ball players, very good when in possession, when they lose it, they don’t chase back leaving myself and the defence to deal with the marauding opponents.
“I had problems when we played Highlanders. They were difficult in midfield, Willard Khumalo was bulky and imposing. It was not easy to go round him, Titus Majola was a workaholic, he would be all over the field and keeping pace with him was hard. Joel Shambo of Caps was always full of trickery, he was a very tough opponent to face,” said Dube on Thursday.
Dube would at times be played at Number Four (4), centreback as he was combative, good timing with pace and the heart for the big stage.
“Sherperd Murape was an extra-ordinary coach. He was very good and played us to our strengths. That is the reason why Rhinos did well during his stay. We worked hard, we played for our coaches and for each other, there was a bit of some camaraderie among us players,” he said.
Rhinos won the league in their maiden season in 1984.
“It was a great feeling at the celebrations. The founder of the club who was the army commander, General Solomon Mujuru brought a very big bottle of whisky, I had never seen such a big size, we drank it together with him and the entire team. It was a great day for us, a good football year as well. We had to celebrate that,” Dube said.
Dube played alongside Mparutsa, Lazarus Pararai, Mugabe, Fanwell Nyamukapa, Chikauro, Dhana, Ndunduma, M’tizwa, Langton “Govenda” Mutimba, Edward Matsika, Mike Abrahams, Mugove Munyorovi, Ernest Mutano, Gift Makoni, Charles Ndebele, Nyangela, Lesley Kamuyoyo, Lovemore Chikunha, Jimmy Mbewe and Jerry Chidawa.
“Judging from the list choosing the first 11 was not an easy task. You had to be very good to play with the best. We worked hard for our success, you could not afford to slacken because the competition for jerseys was stiff, there were so many players who could play the same number,” said Dube.
Dube played for Rhinos up to 1987 and the departure of Murape saw him get less playing time under Nyazika who many accused of bias towards Mbare boys.
Dube’s next destination was Cranborne Bullets another army side and he still remembers how they laboured through to the 1991 Zifa Cup final in which they were beaten by Wankie FC 3-1.
They were a Northern Region Division One side.
Dube speaks bitterly of another repeat incident with army teams.
After winning the championship, the players were given blazers and he never received his and it was taken by one of the coaches.
At Bullets he did not get his share of the pickings from the tournament as he was in Bulawayo when the bosses decided to pay players.
“Frustrated over that I quit Bullets and sought a transfer to Bulawayo where I enjoyed myself playing for Bulawayo Jumbos now Indlovu Iyanyathela and playing in the Zifa Southern Region Division One.”
At Jumbos he played alongside Todd Nyadzira, Charles Ndebele and Dampion Ngwenya, a very good defender unlucky not to have made it to the Highlanders FC first team.
He retired in 1999 at the age of 40 and never stayed around the game in another capacity.
“During our time it was about power, nowadays its skill. That is why the coaches emphasized back then that if you miss the ball get the man,” said Dube.
One of his bitter moments is being fired from the Zimbabwe Defence Forces combined team for the international military games in 1987.
“Nyabeze was the coach. I was training with the side that was putting on tops, when I was asked to switch teams, I simply removed my top and threw it to the touchline and raced to take my position. I was sacked from the team just like that Nyabeze who probably thought my actions were bad behaviour.
There was no disrespect at all, I did not want to waste time,” said Dube whose former teammate Charles Ndebele described him as a hard working defensive midfielder who could also be played at centreback.
Beating Highlanders 5-0 at Gwanzura Stadium in Harare in his debut match in which Mbewe scored two goals and was nicknamed “Livewire” by legendary commentator the late Evans Mambara, remains Dube’s moment to savour.
“It was a big win, it gave me confidence,” said Dube, a former ZPRA combatant who during the armed struggle operated in Mashonaland West Province.
On the lighter moments at Rhinos, Dube spoke about how Mparutsa always wanted to have dribbling wizard Mugove Munyorovi on his side during six a side matches.
“There was this player Mugove Munyorovi, he would give him a torrid time, make him dive and catch thin air if he was on the other side. He was such a good dribbler, Japhet always selected him first so that he would be on his side. Japhet would select us because we were good markers, guys like Stix were poor in marking,” said Dube.
It all started in Gwanda Town for Dube where he was born on 12 December 1959 and attended Gwanda Primary School.
He recalls growing up admiring teacher and football player Ren Nqadini while playing football with Gwanda legend Mactavish Dube, Cornwall Dube and Stewart ‘Bra Stuza’ Dube all brothers and goalkeeper Christopher Ndlovu who later played for Gwanda Ramblers with the three Dube brothers.
Highlanders’ Player of the Decade 1971-1980 Tymon Mabaleka was Dube’s role model.
“I played in midfield and I would say I was inspired by Tymon Mabaleka,” Dube said.
Dube who retired from the army in 2006.
After the ceasefire, Dube who trained in Ethiopia was attested into the newly constituted Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and served at Four Brigade in Masvingo where he joined Masvingo Bullets, an army team.
He spoke of age cheating as he said at the age of 23 in 1982 coaches picked him to play for the Masvingo Under-18s in the inter-provincial Coca-Cola Under-18 tournament.
Alongside the likes of Thomas Sandringham, Choddy Chirwa and Jimmy Hamandishe they were disqualified from the tournament after a cheating Masvingo player was discovered to be carrying his sister’s birth certificate.
Dube is married and a beneficary of the land reform programme in the Inyathi area, Matabeleland North Province spends some of his time at his Queens Park East home in Bulawayo.