Gibson Homela          

By Pamenus Tuso

Gibson “Homeboy” Homela is one of Zimbabwe’s soccer legends who has consistently and diligently served the country as both a player and coach.

Born in Lower Gweru in the Midlands province in 1946, Homela is one of the pillars that made the formerly Mashonaland United and now Zimbabwe Saints a popular and successful team.

A son of an agricultural extension worker, Homela started playing football at a very tender age at Msipani Primary School in Zvishavane in the Midlands Province.

After his primary school education, Homela proceeded to Fletcher High School in Gweru for his secondary education where he was able to command a regular place in the school’s first team when he was only in Form Two.

While at Fletcher, Homela started playing for Mashonaland FC which was in the Gwelo African Football Association (Gafa).

While playing out for the side, Homela was spotted by the late national hero Herbert Ushewokunze who took him to Bulawayo to join Mashonaland United alongside William Sibanda and Aleck Mwanza.

The trio would later rise to Mashonaland United (Zimbabwe Saints) legends guiding the club to several trophies.

At Mashonaland United, he played with the likes of Max Tshuma, Simon Supiya, Sibanda, Philemon Dangarembwa, Musa Muzanenhamo, Onias Musana, Douglas Maneto, Steve Kwashi, Stephen Chuma, Moses Moyo, Zebron Magorimbo, Andrew Kadengu, Sugar Muguyo and Chita Antonio.

After finishing his “A” Levels, Homela permanently relocated to Bulawayo as he was now a regular feature of the Mashonaland United team.

Homela’s stars continued to shine and by 1969 he had established himself as a fiery striker.

So good was he that he confined the likes of five-time Soccer Star of the Year George Shaya to the bench. He was part of the Rhodesia team that lost narrowly to Australia in the final qualifying play-off match for the 1970 Brazil World Cup finals.

After two draws Rhodesia was eventually booted out denying a generation of Sherperd Murape, James Nxumalo, Rob Jordan, Isaac Chieza, Stephen Chimedza and Shaya a chance to be at football’s showpiece the World Cup final played at the giant Maracana Stadium and won by Pele and Jairzinho’s Brazil.

That same year Saints reached a cup final and were beaten by Mangula.

In the late 1960s Homela was ranked among the top strikers in the country who included Ernest Kamba, Chris Mhlanga, Paul Tsumbe and Peter Nyama.

He continued to shine as a striker and in 1972 he was among the country’s 11 most outstanding players in the land.

Homela was part of the Saints team which won the Nyore Cup, the club’s first national silverware.

In 195 he moved to United Kingdom to study and had an attachment with Third Division side Oldham Athletic.

It is his iconic display in 1976 when Saints flew him for the 1976 Chibuku Trophy Cup final against Highlanders that many fans will always remember him for. Chikwata moved to Kambuzuma on a Thursday so that Homz could train and try to adapt to the weather with the rest of the team. That worked as Highlanders chased shadows all afternoon with a scintillating display in attack aided by a roving midfield that had South African football returnee Max Tshuma who was concurrently playing for Moroka Swallows.

Homela and Tshuma scored braces to sink Highlanders 4-0.

He was a regular feature for national teams that played against Springboks, rebel select sides and visiting sides like the Lexington X1.

His Chikwata showed signs of progress winning the Castle Cup and league championship in 1977 to announce themselves among the game’s big boys in an era where Dynamos, Chibuku Shumba, Wankie, Rio Tinto, Highlanders, Arcadia and Mangula were the feared sides between them having won trophies such as the Castle Cup, Chibuku Trophy, Sports Pools and BAT Rosebowl.

In 1979 Homela collected the league and Chibuku Trophy runners up medal both playing second fiddle to Caps Rovers, who were fired by Shaky Tauro, Stanley Ndunduma, Joel Shambo and Stix M’tizwa.

Saints had won the regional league and faced Caps who would later on be called Caps United in the national play-off while the Chibuku Trophy had ended 3-3 in the first leg before the Harare side put the matter to bed with a 5-2 drubbing of Chikwata as KepeKepe started their journey to being called Cup Kings.

Homela was called up for the team that won the Independence Cup in 1980 but would be capped a few months later in matches against Malawi. He stayed in the national team framework until 1982 when an injury while from a Zifa Cup match against Shabanie Mine left him with a damaged hip.

Among his teammates in the national team were Frank Mkanga, Tymon Mabaleka, Majid Dhana, Ebson Muguyo, Max Tshuma, July Sharara, David George, Archieford Chimutanda, Hamid Dhana, Bethal Salis, and Mark Watson.

He would coach at lower division, Archer Stars and in 1985 was sent to Germany and returned to be national coach working with Madinda Ndlovu, Willard Khumalo, Ernest Mutano, Ndunduma, Shambo, M’tizwa, Ephert Lungu, Joseph Zulu, Japhet Mparutsa, Johnstone Mbaradzwa, Joseph Machingura, Ephraim Chawanda, Alexander, Boy Ndlovu, Moses Chunga and Brenna Msiska.

Another career highlight was being in a technical team that masterminded the 1988 league and Chibuku Trophy conquest. He was with Roy Barreto, Tendai Chieza and Rodger Russell in that glorious season for Zimbabwe Saints.

Homela started his coaching career in the 1970s as a player/coach at a time when that responsibility was thrown at senior players.

Homela was at one time a Zifa Board member and is among the Premier Soccer League’s founding members.