Another Bulawayo star causes soccer waves in UK

ANOTHER Bulawayo talent has emerged on the English shores at Sheffield Wednesday first team in the form Cecil Nyoni who declared his availability to play for Zimbabwe.

Sheffield play in the English League One.

Last week we discovered that Ingo Madinda Ndlovu (Madinda's son) is playing at Sheffield United where he is part of the reserve team having graduated from the team's Under-14s through the academy.

With so many Zimbabweans having left the country in the last 15 years, Zifa could find themselves with so much talent to call on for national teams.
Nyoni was handed the first team jersey number 35 in November.

Sheffield Wednesday who are known as the Owls, had manager Alan Irvine handing over the shirt in November on the eve of the team's clash with Rochdale.

Wednesday's academy manager Sean McAuley said at the time: "The development that he can get from being involved with the seniors will far outweigh anything that we can give him.

"Cecil has done really well in the youth team and has played really well in the reserves and he has been noticed quite a few times now.

"Like I have said before, we have a manager and staff who understand the process so making that transition and just having him involved with the squad will be of huge benefit."

Nyoni, according to the club website, comes from Bulawayo and is said to have impressed at local side Middlewood Rovers in the United Kingdom before being snatched up by Sheffield Wednesday.

He is good in defence and is equally at home in midfield.

He was born in Bulawayo on 1 September 1992. Yesterday he said he grew up in Gwanda but attended school in Sheffield.

He is the son of Mjubeki and Sibongile. His father is a former footballer he played for Gwanda Ramblers, he taught at J.Z Moyo High for a few years, he was also a Matebeleland under 17 coach, he was also part of the original Gwanda All Stars.

"My dad used to play football so I was brought up in a football environment and my uncle taught me how to play since I was three, but I played with my brother's friends who were older so I was ahead of other children of my age."
Prior to moving to the UK, Nyoni said he never thought much about a career in the game until he moved to the UK.

He is eligible to play for both the Under-20 and the Under-23 national teams.

"If selected I am available to play for Zimbabwe, though at the moment I am concentrating on my Sheffield Wednesday career," said Nyoni.

Zimbabwe's only player in the Barclays Premiership, Benjani Mwaruwari, said he had heard loads about the two boys in Sheffield.

"I have heard of Ingo, Madinda's son and Cecil. I am yet to see him but from what I gather he is a promising talent," said the former Warriors captain.

Former Hwange and Masvingo United utility player Oswald Sibanda who is also based in the UK described the two boys as talent worth considering for the Zimbabwe age group teams.

"National coaches should spread their wings wide. There is so much talent among children of Zimbabweans in the diaspora. It is always a dream for one to play for his country, at times we have to move faster before they consider playing for other countries," said Sibanda.

Ingo has already declared that he is available to serve a country that his father, two uncles Adam and Peter and aunt Eveline did duty for with distinction over the past 29 years. over the past 29 years.