Barry Daka

by Lovemore Dube

 

OTHER footballers would need smuggling into the Hall of Fame in Zimbabwe, but for Barry Daka it would not be the case.

A very successful personality as a player and a coach, he remains an iconic figure in the game assured of his place among the greatest for eternity.

Daka born in 1949 in Bulawayo went to school in Mzilikazi with Mzilikazi High School also known as Mgandane his last.

Like most of his peers of that era, football was a get away from family, an opportunity to explode and explore. He found himself playing at Thabiso Youth Centre at the MaTongeni end of Makokoba. Little did he know that every patch of land converted to a football pitch by boys and Thabiso Youth Centre will years later be the cradle for more talents to blossom from?

His career started off at Eastern Brothers who would years later change to Eastlands fronted by people like Job Kadengu. He went through the Bulawayo City football development structures centred on Youth Centres and played against opposition from Tshabalala, Sizinda, Magwegwe, Luveve, Mzilikazi and Mpopoma.

In 1966 Daka joined Highlanders FC who were campaigning in the Bulawayo Amateur (African) Football Association leagues.

Three years later the club joined the Rhodesia National Football League structures.

In 1968 Amahlolanyama (Highlanders) who had refused to join the national football body structures in 1963 took a decision to join RFNL. They started off in the second division with the likes of Billy Sibanda, Edward Dzowa, Fakazi, Andrew Jele and Billy Sibanda and worked hard so much that in 1971 they earned the right for the top division.

Daka left Highlanders in 1970 towards the end and was part of the Wankie team that won the Castle Cup. He featured in the final as Buddy Sibanda in the first game to be live broadcast in Rhodesia.

He had transferred to the Bata Shoe Shop in Wankie where he worked for less than 18 months before he was made a sports organiser by Wankie Colliery Company whose team was coached by Jack Meagher assisted by Mwape Sakala and Cyprian Ngoma.

Playing as right winger on attacking midfielder, Daka won the 1973 Castle Cup and with homesickness troubling him at a time when other star players Posani Sibanda, Twyman Ncube and Stephen Chuma moved to Harare with Meagher to play for Chibuku Shumba, Daka returned to Bulawayo landing a job as a sports assistant at Bulawayo City Council.

Other players he played with were Nathan Maduku, Jimmy Sibanda, Teddy Ncube, Aaron Lowani, Rodrick Simwanza, Joseph Chimawo, Sam Mutende and Isaac Phiri.

He won the regional and national league play off in 1974 and added another South Zone league medal in 1975.

At Highlanders Daka played with the likes of Billy Sibanda, Lawrence Phiri, Josiah Nxumalo, James Nxumalo, Boet Van Ays, Cavin Duberley, Tommy Masuku, Peter Zimuto, Nehemiah Dube, Ananias Dube, Tymon Mabaleka whom he had a stint with at Eastern Brothers, Bruce Grobbelaar, Jeffrey Mpofu and John Vellah.

Tension within Highlanders who were not paying well saw most senior players move to form Olympics. Daka sympathised with his out of town friends Isaac Mafaro, Chutika Tembo, Itai Chieza and Stanley Nyika who would be stranded with no income during off-season.

Bosso paid a measly $10 while others like Dynamos paid $40. The players felt club was earning money from good crowds and prize money hence deserved better.

At the same time end of 1976 Highlanders were breaking away from RFNL. They were not happy with unfair treatment from the league under John Madzima and Peter Nemapare.

Olympics wore same colours like Highlanders.

The club played in 1977 in the elite division while Highlanders founded South Zone Soccer League where they played against teams from small towns.

The club struggled in its first year with finances forcing some of the players to look for greener pastures with Ephraim Moloi joining Zimbabwe Saints, Chieza Zimbabwe Saints, and Nyika going to Rio Tinto.

Daka made history with Olympics winning the 1981 and 1982 Rothmans Shield.

In 1984 Highlanders patched up with Daka following an initiative by Jahalamajaha Dlamini to bury the hatchet.

In his first tournament Daka won the Chibuku Trophy 2-1 over Dynamos.

More silverware followed, the BAT Rosebowl Shield, Chibuku Trophy, Rothmans Shield, Castle Cup and Heroes Shield followed in 1986 and the title Cup Kings for Highlanders.

In 1987 he toured Germany with Bosso for a month and took part in the Africa Cup of Winners losing 7-6 on penalties to Miembeni of Tanzania in the first round.

The following year Daka made a clean sweep of tournaments just letting Saints pip them 1-0 to the Chibuku Trophy.

His arrival at Highlanders coincided with the emergency of young talents Madinda Ndlovu, Alexander Maseko, Amin Soma-Phiri, Dumisani Ngulube, Dumisani Nyoni, Netsai Moyo, Tanny Banda and Tobias Mudyambanje.

Daka by then was Young Warriors coach.

Another ground breaking moment for Bosso was 1990 when they won their first league title and the FA Cup with new heroes Benjamin Mpofu, Makheyi Nyathi, Lazarus Mwambopo, Rahman Gumbo and Cleopas Dlodlo.

The Bosso technical team had been boosted in late 1989 with Roy Barreto whom Daka worked with up to 1994 with the BP League Cup their last together but in between were further victories in the Zifa Cup, Heroes Independence Cup and the 1993 league cup.

Daka coached Railstars in 1996 and returned to Bosso as technical adviser in 2000.

In the same year Daka won the Cosafa Castle Cup with the Warriors and was also coach of a Zimbabwe Under-23 with the likes of Thulani Biya Ncube, Benjani Mwaruwari, Nqobizitha Ncube, Artwell Mabiza, Marlon Jani, Miguel Lemming, Allan Johnson and Mlungisi Ndebele.

Daka coached the likes of Peter Ndlovu, Adam Ndlovu, Wilfred Mugeyi, William Mugeyi, Callisto Pasuwa, Muzondiwa Mugadza, Kaitano Tembo and Vintu Fulawo in the Warriors.

Daka had a stint in Botswana where he coached among many clubs Ecco City who became the first team outside Gaborone to win the league title in that country.

As a player and coach Daka conquered both Zimbabwe and Africa with regional titles with Under-20s and the senior team and a bronze medal and silver at All-Africa Games to seal his legendary status.

After years of service to Botswana football Daka returned to Zimbabwe in 2014 to join Bulawayo City FC as technical adviser in the junior development.

Daka died at home in 2020 leaving a rich history and legacy.