Mick Poole
By Lovemore Dube 5/12/2022
INDEPENDENCE in 1980 opened avenues for Zimbabweans to take part in international football.
On the return to Fifa activity it meant our national teams could play against other countries.
It was entry into regional, Continental and inter-Continental competitions, Cecafa, Zone Six, Confederation of African of Football and World (Fifa) and the Olympics.
Among the promising coaches for a country that had been on international suspension since 1970, was Mick Poole.
The John Madzima executive before it was replaced by one led by Moron Mushambadope, appointed Mick Poole to take charge of the first national Under 20.
Poole’s playing career included stints as a goalkeeper at Triangle, Police and University of Rhodesia in the Mashonaland Football League.
At 44, he was mature enough and his exposure with Police sport and work meant he had a good appreciation of the football landscape.
Poole took to work and visited most urban centres intending to catch any talent that was below the age of 20.
His first match against Zambia a 4-3 win at Rufaro in 1980, announced the arrival of a legend who would identify some of the best talent ever seen in this country.
Among his players were Charlie Jones fresh from Morgan High School, Lucky Dube, Japhet Mparutsa, Zacharia Chironda, Takesure Maverengo, Machona Sibanda, Madinda Ndlovu, Thomas Sandram, David Zulu, David Mwanza, John Phiri, James Takavada, Sebastian Chikwature, Shaky Nyathi and Tapiwa Mudyambanje.
This team would have other additions on the way like Pernell Mckop, Godfrey Paradza, Samson Phiri and Boy Ndlovu. These played themselves to legendary status.
Poole coached Arcadia United to cup glory and worked with players like Mike Abrahams, Richard Manda, Doorman Moodley, Joey Antipas, Reg Payne, Shaun Charters, Anthony Kambani and Givemore Nyahuma.
A majority of the players were in the team that won the 1985 Chibuku Trophy.
It turned out to be the club’s last triumph in the higher echelons of Zimbabwe football. Arcadia were among the top sides of the late 1960s and 70s.
He had a fair challenge at perennial cup winning Dynamos in the 1980s.
A disciplinarian of note, Poole was head coach when Zimbabwe won the East and Central Africa Football Association Cup in 1985 to cement his place among a few gaffers who were successful with club and country.
In the early 2000s Poole immigrated to the UK where he died in 2021 at the age of 85.
