Mandla Ncube, Sports Correspondent
FOOTBALL always has its sung heroes, the coaches and the players and at times the administrators, the spotlight hovering over them no matter the result.
Rarely do those behind the scenes get the credit.
The beautiful game as it is popularly known has changed, more so the preparation for games. It has embraced newer approaches.
The use of performance and tactical analysts in Zimbabwe’s football is a novel exercise. The trade remains one of the game’s less heralded practices.
However, Bikita Minerals have taken a leading role in revolutionising the approach to the game opting to employ a performance and tactical analyst to their team.
Ashley Ndebele, is etching a name for himself away from the limelight of the dugout, a path still foreign for most locally.
“In 2020, I grew in love with performance analysis after discovering a passion for unlocking key performance indicators that influenced results and enhance results in football,” said Ndebele.
“I developed a desire to unpack the mysteries behind performance fluctuations like physical, mental, tactical, technical, pre-game, in-game, post-game attributes analysis. I have also learnt the value of dissecting performance individually, sectional, collectively for my team and also oppositional overviews as well.”
Bikita has been one of the stand-out teams in the opening half of the Premiership season proving to be a headache for many finding their debut season less turbulent in comparison to other promoted clubs.
Statistics do not reveal everything, it is usually said but for Bikita, the statistics may be a metric to consider at this point. They have managed to pass their first half-season acid test collecting a staggering 23 points from their opening 17 games with five wins, eight draws and four defeats.
At a time where the local game is clamouring for quality football amid debate that it is in a state of crisis.
Bikita have been smart in their attempt to stay up putting Ndebele’s valuable input into practice, resulting in them giving their opponents a good run for their money.
“I observed that locally, analysis is overlooked perhaps because most coaches don’t value the constructive criticism that arises at times, scientific trajectory that football is now following is not yet fully embraced. So, l chose to take on the challenge head on.”
In as much as his journey is of intuition connived with my passion and love for football or a question of nature or nurture, Ndebele’s family is littered with football history so much that it’s not surprising why he is vested in the game, the way he is.
“Football runs in the blood, I have uncles who are legends like Dennis Gumunyu (who played top-flight football for Wankie (now Hwange), Ephraim ‘Big Rob’ Gumunyu (had a stint with Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints as a goalkeeper), Henry Gumunyu (midfielder for Farai Carriers). I turned out for Dunlop and Zimbabwe Saints juniors before signing with Shabanie Mine FC,” said Ndebele.
Like any other dream out there, resources and a good support structure are needed to pursue it and for Ndebele, he has family support.
He was also lucky enough to rub shoulders with someone who believed in him and his ideas in pushing him in the direction he envisaged.
Daniel Bingadadi, who runs a sports equipment shop in the city centre became the heart and soul behind the performance analysis gig funding and sponsoring Ndebele from day one.
Bingadadi, was impressed by Ndebele’s potential, offering support and providing more connections for him to put his knowledge into practice.
“With him, I saw that he was a lad with massive potential who could go on and do greater things even as far as the national team or going overseas because of his work ethic hence I chose to support him in the way I have done,” Bingadadi said.
According to Ndebele, his first analysis gig was with ZPC Kariba in 2022, in the second round of the season, where he volunteered to do performance analysis for the then ZPC Kariba coach, Rodwell Dhlakama where they successfully escaped relegation in miraculous ways giving him a good breakthrough into the Premiership circles.
To continue what was still his learning curve, in the 2023 season Saul Chaminuka roped him into the Black Rhinos FC under “Operation Survive Relegation.”
In the second round of matches, only Ngezi Platinum FC got more points than Rhinos topping it with a decent run in the Chibuku Trophy where they fell at the semi-final stage to Ngezi Platinum, unfortunately succumbing to relegation.
However, it is worth noting that Ndebele has had a coaching career of his own, which he had to put on pause before embarking on the tactical and performance analysis pathway.
“I have coached Hotspur FC from Dete Division 2 to Division 1. I also had the luxury of being assistant coach at Makomo under head coach Tapela Ngwenya, at Binga Pirates l initially was assistant to coach Witness Munkuli before taking over as head coach after he moved on to Caps United
“Binga was an eye opener and really was special and the people showed me lots of love and support, most importantly the exposure to the talent riddled Binga District, home to many superstars. My prayer is for many teams to build links with Binga District to enjoy the amazing talent abundant there,” he said.
Holding the Scottish C Licence, the Performance Analysis and Video Analysis certification with Ulster University and also a Safa D licence, Ndebele has equipped himself well to navigate the game in ways never seen before in the local football landscape.
Despite an already glittering resume in tactical and performance analysis and as the modern game continues to shift further away from the old way, Ndebele continues to lean more towards advancing himself even further, presently partaking in the UEFA Certificate in Football Management and the Sport Movement, motion analysis course as well as Video Analysis, which he is doing in his second module.
Maybe with time, Ndebele will become one of football’s sung heroes changing the script, the same way as he is already changing the approach of the beautiful game at Bikita.