Samuel Ndhlovu
Encyclopedia
Samuel "Zoom" Ndhlovu (1937 – 10 October 2001) was a Zambia
n footballer and coach. He played for the Mufulira Wanderers, and coached the Zambian national team
three times.
in 1937. He played club football solely for his local team, the Mufulira Wanderers.
He experienced segregation in colonial-era Northern Rhodesia
, where two leagues ran side by side—one for whites and the other for blacks. He made many appearances for the national team, and featured in the racially-mixed Zambian team after Northern Rhodesia took that name upon gaining independence in October 1964.
With Ndhlovu as captain, the Wanderers won the Zambian league, and more cup finals than any other team, earning the moniker "legendary cup fighters".
His skill on the ball, close control and shooting were notable, and he earned the nickname "Zoom" because of the way he would meander past defenders. It became common for people to refer to him as "Samuel 'Zoom' Ndhlovu", or even "Zoom Ndhlovu", rather than Samuel Ndhlovu.
In 1964, Ndhlovu became the first footballer to win the Zambian Sportsman of the Year award.
In the mid-1960s, the Northern Rhodesian and Southern Rhodesia
n (now Zimbabwe
) teams would compete for the annual Super Castle Cup, which saw the Castle Cup champions of each country battling it out for the trophy. In 1965, it was decided that the winners of the trophy, which had previously been dominated by Zimbabwean clubs, would keep the trophy for good. The Mufulira Wanderers had won the local Castle Cup, and therefore won the right to compete in the final against the Salisbury Wanderers. Ndhlovu, and teammates such as Willie Kunda, Joseph Menzu, Elijah Mwale, and goalkeeper Tolomeo Mwansa, won 4-3 over the Salisbury Wanderers at Salisbury's Glamis Stadium in October 1965, winning the trophy and becoming the permanent holders of the trophy. Ndhlovu scored one of the goals.
In 1966, a benefit match was organised in appreciation of Ndhlovu's ten years in football; the Wanderers played Kitwe Sports at the Sports' home ground, Shinde Stadium.
Ndhlovu had a chance to play professional football in the mid-1960s after Doug Sammons, then the Wanderers' coach and part-time national coach, arranged a stint with a British club for him, but he turned down the opportunity to concentrate on developing the game in Zambia. Instead, Zambia’s first professionals were Fred Mwila and Emment Kapengwe.
but not before he was awarded the Insignia of Honour on 25 October 1973 for his service to the game. He took up coaching at Wanderers, and led them to several cup triumphs. He later became a Technical Advisor at the club, nurturing players like Efford Chabala
, Ashious Melu
, Kalusha Bwalya
, Charles Musonda
, and others.
In 1982, he was part of the technical bench when Zambia played Egypt over two games in Cairo, after the planned mini-soccer tournament was aborted when two other teams failed to turn up. Zambia won the first game 5-3, and drew the second one 0-0.
In 1986, Zambia performed disastrously at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt; coach Brightwell Banda was sidelined in favour of Ndhlovu. Under Ndhlovu, Zambia adopted an attacking style of play. While Ndholvu never lost a home match while in charge, the team’s Achilles' heel
was their difficulty winning away games.
Ndhlovu guided the Zambian national team to the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
, South Korea
. They became the first African team to make it through the group phase, beating both Italy and Guatemala 4-0, although they lost to West Germany in the quarter-finals by the same margin.
After Seoul, many expected Zambia to qualify in the 1990 World Cup. While the team won their home games, they failed to get a single point on the road. Ndhlovu tried to put the disappointment behind him at the 1990 African Cup of Nations
, where Zambia finished third, behind host Algeria and Nigeria.
When German coach Jochen Figge
, who had been attached to the Zambian Sports Ministry for football development purposes, was suggested as a possible Technical Advisor to Ndhlovu, Ndhlovu asked, "Advise me on what?" Figge remained at the Ministry.
At the 1992 African Cup of Nations
in Senegal
, Zambia lost in the quarter-finals to the Ivory Coast
. This led to Ndhlovu being relieved of his duties, but when Zambia kicked off the 1994 African Cup of Nations
and World Cup
qualifiers rather unconvincingly, struggling to overcome Mauritius
2-1 at home and newcomers South Africa
1-0 in Johannesburg
with a coaching bench of Boniface Simutowe as trainer and Figge as Technical Advisor, calls for a new coach led to the Ndhlovu's re-appointment. He steered Zambia’s World Cup campaign back on track with a 2-0 home victory against Tanzania
. However, a 2-0 loss away to Madagascar
in December 1992 ended Ndhlovu's reign as coach; he was replaced by Godfrey Chitalu
.
Ndhlovu then packed his bags for Botswana
, where he coached that country’s top club, the Township Rollers
, as well as serving as Technical Advisor to the national team. He made another comeback in 1997, when the Football Association of Zambia
(FAZ) declined to renew Raold Poulsen’s contract, in favour of Freddie Mwila as coach and Ndhlovu as Technical Advisor. However, their tenure was short-lived, as the duo resigned shortly after Zambia failed to beat Zaire, drawing 2-2 in a World Cup qualifier in Harare
. George Mungwa took over as caretaker coach, but he could not save Zambia’s campaign, as South Africa grabbed the group's only ticket to the 1998 FIFA World Cup
in France.
Ndhlovu kept a low profile until 2000, when he ran for the FAZ presidency; he lost to Evaristo Kasunga by a landslide margin. He then returned to the Wanderers as coach, and cleared out most of the old guard in preference for youth. He paid the price when Wanderers lost 5-0 at home to Zanaco FC
in the first game of the season. At the end of the season, the Wanderers had been relegated from the Premier League.
In 2002, the FAZ decided to re-name the traditional Zambian League season opener—the Charity Shield—as the "Samuel 'Zoom' Ndhlovu Charity Shield" in his honour.
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
n footballer and coach. He played for the Mufulira Wanderers, and coached the Zambian national team
Zambia national football team
The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo as copper is one of...
three times.
Playing career
Ndhlovu was born in MufuliraMufulira
Mufulira is a town in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia. It grew up in the 1930s around the site of the Mufulira Copper Mine on its north-western edge...
in 1937. He played club football solely for his local team, the Mufulira Wanderers.
He experienced segregation in colonial-era Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
, where two leagues ran side by side—one for whites and the other for blacks. He made many appearances for the national team, and featured in the racially-mixed Zambian team after Northern Rhodesia took that name upon gaining independence in October 1964.
With Ndhlovu as captain, the Wanderers won the Zambian league, and more cup finals than any other team, earning the moniker "legendary cup fighters".
His skill on the ball, close control and shooting were notable, and he earned the nickname "Zoom" because of the way he would meander past defenders. It became common for people to refer to him as "Samuel 'Zoom' Ndhlovu", or even "Zoom Ndhlovu", rather than Samuel Ndhlovu.
In 1964, Ndhlovu became the first footballer to win the Zambian Sportsman of the Year award.
In the mid-1960s, the Northern Rhodesian and Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
n (now Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
) teams would compete for the annual Super Castle Cup, which saw the Castle Cup champions of each country battling it out for the trophy. In 1965, it was decided that the winners of the trophy, which had previously been dominated by Zimbabwean clubs, would keep the trophy for good. The Mufulira Wanderers had won the local Castle Cup, and therefore won the right to compete in the final against the Salisbury Wanderers. Ndhlovu, and teammates such as Willie Kunda, Joseph Menzu, Elijah Mwale, and goalkeeper Tolomeo Mwansa, won 4-3 over the Salisbury Wanderers at Salisbury's Glamis Stadium in October 1965, winning the trophy and becoming the permanent holders of the trophy. Ndhlovu scored one of the goals.
In 1966, a benefit match was organised in appreciation of Ndhlovu's ten years in football; the Wanderers played Kitwe Sports at the Sports' home ground, Shinde Stadium.
Ndhlovu had a chance to play professional football in the mid-1960s after Doug Sammons, then the Wanderers' coach and part-time national coach, arranged a stint with a British club for him, but he turned down the opportunity to concentrate on developing the game in Zambia. Instead, Zambia’s first professionals were Fred Mwila and Emment Kapengwe.
Coaching career
In 1974, Ndhlovu retired from the game,but not before he was awarded the Insignia of Honour on 25 October 1973 for his service to the game. He took up coaching at Wanderers, and led them to several cup triumphs. He later became a Technical Advisor at the club, nurturing players like Efford Chabala
David Chabala
David Efford Chabala , popularly known as Efford Chabala was Zambia's first choice goalkeeper from 1983 until his death in a plane crash off the Gabonese coast in 1993 and is probably Zambia’s most capped player, an achievement which has often been attributed to Kalusha Bwalya, his former team...
, Ashious Melu
Ashious Melu
Ashious Jordan Melu also known as Ashios or Ashols Melu was a Zambian footballer and coach who captained the national team from 1988 to 1992 and is credited with having one of the hardest shots in Zambian football.-Playing career:Melu was born in Chililabombwe on June 6, 1957 and attended...
, Kalusha Bwalya
Kalusha Bwalya
Kalusha Bwalya , known as simply Kalusha, is a Zambian footballer and coach. He is Zambia's most capped player, all-time top goalscorer, and is regarded as the greatest Zambian player to play the game...
, Charles Musonda
Charly Musonda
Charles Musonda , also known as Charly Musonda is a former Zambian professional football player. At his peak, he played as a midfielder for Belgian Champions Anderlecht.-Career:...
, and others.
In 1982, he was part of the technical bench when Zambia played Egypt over two games in Cairo, after the planned mini-soccer tournament was aborted when two other teams failed to turn up. Zambia won the first game 5-3, and drew the second one 0-0.
In 1986, Zambia performed disastrously at the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt; coach Brightwell Banda was sidelined in favour of Ndhlovu. Under Ndhlovu, Zambia adopted an attacking style of play. While Ndholvu never lost a home match while in charge, the team’s Achilles' heel
Achilles' heel
An Achilles’ heel is a deadly weakness in spite of overall strength, that can actually or potentially lead to downfall. While the mythological origin refers to a physical vulnerability, metaphorical references to other attributes or qualities that can lead to downfall are common.- Origin :In Greek...
was their difficulty winning away games.
Ndhlovu guided the Zambian national team to the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. They became the first African team to make it through the group phase, beating both Italy and Guatemala 4-0, although they lost to West Germany in the quarter-finals by the same margin.
After Seoul, many expected Zambia to qualify in the 1990 World Cup. While the team won their home games, they failed to get a single point on the road. Ndhlovu tried to put the disappointment behind him at the 1990 African Cup of Nations
1990 African Cup of Nations
-Semi-finals:-----Third Place Play-off:-Final:-Top scorers:4 goals Djamel Menad3 goals Djamel Amani Rashidi Yekini2 goals Rabah Madjer Chérif Oudjani Emmanuel Maboang Abdoulaye Traoré Webster Chikabala...
, where Zambia finished third, behind host Algeria and Nigeria.
When German coach Jochen Figge
Jochen Figge
Jochen Figge is a German professional football coach who has managed the national teams of a number of countries, including Guinea, Zambia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ethiopia.-References:...
, who had been attached to the Zambian Sports Ministry for football development purposes, was suggested as a possible Technical Advisor to Ndhlovu, Ndhlovu asked, "Advise me on what?" Figge remained at the Ministry.
At the 1992 African Cup of Nations
1992 African Cup of Nations
The 1992 African Cup of Nations was the 18th edition of the African Cup of Nations, the soccer championship of Africa . It was hosted by Senegal. The field expanded to twelve teams, split into four groups of three; the top two teams in each group advanced to the quarterfinals...
in Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
, Zambia lost in the quarter-finals to the Ivory Coast
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
. This led to Ndhlovu being relieved of his duties, but when Zambia kicked off the 1994 African Cup of Nations
1994 African Cup of Nations
-Group B:---------Group C:---------Group D:---------Knockout Stages:-Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Scorers:5 goals Rashidi Yekini4 goals Joël Tiéhi...
and World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
qualifiers rather unconvincingly, struggling to overcome Mauritius
Mauritius national football team
The Mauritius national football team, nicknamed Club M, is the national team of Mauritius and is controlled by the Mauritius Football Association.-Early years:...
2-1 at home and newcomers South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
1-0 in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
with a coaching bench of Boniface Simutowe as trainer and Figge as Technical Advisor, calls for a new coach led to the Ndhlovu's re-appointment. He steered Zambia’s World Cup campaign back on track with a 2-0 home victory against Tanzania
Tanzania national football team
The Tanzania national football team represents Tanzania in association football and is controlled by the Tanzania Football Federation, the governing body for football in Tanzania. Tanzania's home ground is Benjamin Mkapa national stadium in Dar-es-Salaam and their head coach is Jan Børge Poulsen....
. However, a 2-0 loss away to Madagascar
Madagascar national football team
The Madagascar national football team, nicknamed Les Guerriers Zébus , is the national team of Madagascar and is controlled by the Fédération Malagasy de Football. It has never qualified for the finals of the World Cup or the African Nations Cup...
in December 1992 ended Ndhlovu's reign as coach; he was replaced by Godfrey Chitalu
Godfrey Chitalu
Godfrey Chitalu was a Zambian footballer who is regarded as the greatest Zambian player ever and is also believed to hold the national team goal-scoring record...
.
Ndhlovu then packed his bags for Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, where he coached that country’s top club, the Township Rollers
Township Rollers
Township Rollers is a football club based in Botswana Gaborone. Township Rollers are popularly known as Mapalastina. The club was founded in 1961. Township Rollers has a bitter and old rivalry with their closest neighbors Gaborone United....
, as well as serving as Technical Advisor to the national team. He made another comeback in 1997, when the Football Association of Zambia
Football Association of Zambia
The Football Association of Zambia is the governing body of football in Zambia. It was founded in 1929, and affiliated to FIFA in 1964. It is also a member of the Confederation of African Football. It organizes the national football league and the national team.- External links :* * at the FIFA...
(FAZ) declined to renew Raold Poulsen’s contract, in favour of Freddie Mwila as coach and Ndhlovu as Technical Advisor. However, their tenure was short-lived, as the duo resigned shortly after Zambia failed to beat Zaire, drawing 2-2 in a World Cup qualifier in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. George Mungwa took over as caretaker coach, but he could not save Zambia’s campaign, as South Africa grabbed the group's only ticket to the 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
in France.
Ndhlovu kept a low profile until 2000, when he ran for the FAZ presidency; he lost to Evaristo Kasunga by a landslide margin. He then returned to the Wanderers as coach, and cleared out most of the old guard in preference for youth. He paid the price when Wanderers lost 5-0 at home to Zanaco FC
Zanaco FC
Zanaco FC is a Zambian football club based in Lusaka, Zanaco stands for Zambia National Commercial Bank. The team plays in the top division in Zambian football. Their home stadium is Sunset Stadium...
in the first game of the season. At the end of the season, the Wanderers had been relegated from the Premier League.
Death
Ndhlovu disappeared from public view until 2001, when it was disclosed that he was experiencing poor health. He underwent specialist treatment but succumbed to liver complications and died in Mufulira on 10 October 2001 at the age of 64.In 2002, the FAZ decided to re-name the traditional Zambian League season opener—the Charity Shield—as the "Samuel 'Zoom' Ndhlovu Charity Shield" in his honour.