News / National
Choruma's body to be flown in
01 Jan 2021 at 02:23hrs | Views
THE man who brought Richard Choruma to Highlanders, Rahman Gumbo has expressed shock at the former diminutive midfielder's untimely death and described him as a gentleman of the game.
Choruma died at Tembisa Hospital in Johannesburg's East Rand in South Africa on Tuesday morning after suffering stomach complications and kidney failure.
His body is expected to be flown into Bulawayo on Friday next week ahead of burial.
Former Warriors' skipper Esrom Nyandoro, who is co-ordinating the funeral wake in South Africa, yesterday indicated that the family will formally advise them about burial arrangements.
However, close family members said Choruma's body will be flown in next Friday, with burial taking place the following day.
"Am still in shock. I just can't believe it. Umafana was a perfect gentleman of the game and to be told that he is no more is like a sudden horror chapter in a romantic novel. How do you take that in," said Gumbo, who won the first two of Highlanders' four championship titles on the trot as head coach.
Choruma joined the Bosso engine room full of talent in 2000 and immediately became a key member of that department as Bosso marched neck to neck for the title with city rivals AmaZulu.
Highlanders will remember that last match of the season when Bosso travelled to Masvingo to take on Masvingo United at Mucheke Stadium in 2000 needing nothing short of victory to bag their second league title on the trot.
Usuthu were at Barbourfields Stadium taking on Railstars in a city derby.
Bosso took the lead through a 61st minute header by skipper Thulani "Biya" Ncube and the script seemed to be going according to plan until Masvingo pulled level with 12 minutes to go.
A draw was not an option for Gumbo and his charges, but Masvingo held on till the final whistle. There was dead silence at the stadium as the fans and team waited for results from Emagumeni and when news filtered through that Railstars had thumped Usuthu 3-1, there was jubilation and Choruma had bagged his first PSL championship medal.
The former Young Warriors and senior national team midfielder became a key member of the Bosso midfield for the next three years as they crushed all teams they faced. They were again chasing the big one with Usuthu in 2001 and the matter had to be settled on the last day of the season as the two Bulawayo sides collided at a jam packed Barbourfields Stadium.
A Charles Chilufya penalty settled matters and Bosso won 1-0.
The following year Bosso, now under the late Eddie May, were simply invincible and won the league championship by a massive 20 points. They lost just two matches and conceded 14 goals in that season.
Former Bosso chairman and manager Ernest "Maphepha" Sibanda yesterday said it was a cruel blow to football to lose such a promising administrator.
"Personally, I was seeing that boy taking our football administration to higher levels. This is a cruel blow to football but we are mortals after all, God has decided and we can't do anything about it except to count our losses," said Sibanda.
Choruma died at Tembisa Hospital in Johannesburg's East Rand in South Africa on Tuesday morning after suffering stomach complications and kidney failure.
His body is expected to be flown into Bulawayo on Friday next week ahead of burial.
Former Warriors' skipper Esrom Nyandoro, who is co-ordinating the funeral wake in South Africa, yesterday indicated that the family will formally advise them about burial arrangements.
However, close family members said Choruma's body will be flown in next Friday, with burial taking place the following day.
"Am still in shock. I just can't believe it. Umafana was a perfect gentleman of the game and to be told that he is no more is like a sudden horror chapter in a romantic novel. How do you take that in," said Gumbo, who won the first two of Highlanders' four championship titles on the trot as head coach.
Choruma joined the Bosso engine room full of talent in 2000 and immediately became a key member of that department as Bosso marched neck to neck for the title with city rivals AmaZulu.
Highlanders will remember that last match of the season when Bosso travelled to Masvingo to take on Masvingo United at Mucheke Stadium in 2000 needing nothing short of victory to bag their second league title on the trot.
Bosso took the lead through a 61st minute header by skipper Thulani "Biya" Ncube and the script seemed to be going according to plan until Masvingo pulled level with 12 minutes to go.
A draw was not an option for Gumbo and his charges, but Masvingo held on till the final whistle. There was dead silence at the stadium as the fans and team waited for results from Emagumeni and when news filtered through that Railstars had thumped Usuthu 3-1, there was jubilation and Choruma had bagged his first PSL championship medal.
The former Young Warriors and senior national team midfielder became a key member of the Bosso midfield for the next three years as they crushed all teams they faced. They were again chasing the big one with Usuthu in 2001 and the matter had to be settled on the last day of the season as the two Bulawayo sides collided at a jam packed Barbourfields Stadium.
A Charles Chilufya penalty settled matters and Bosso won 1-0.
The following year Bosso, now under the late Eddie May, were simply invincible and won the league championship by a massive 20 points. They lost just two matches and conceded 14 goals in that season.
Former Bosso chairman and manager Ernest "Maphepha" Sibanda yesterday said it was a cruel blow to football to lose such a promising administrator.
"Personally, I was seeing that boy taking our football administration to higher levels. This is a cruel blow to football but we are mortals after all, God has decided and we can't do anything about it except to count our losses," said Sibanda.
Source - chroncile
