Samuel Ndhlovu

Club career

By 1959, Ndhlovu was co-opted into the welfare section of mine community development as a club organizer and it was in the same year that he found his feet and became a lynchpin at Wanderers. He earned the nickname "Zoom" when a Wanderers fan who could not fathom how easily he dribbled past defenders started calling him ‘Sumu’ instead of ‘Sam.’ This eventually changed to "Zoom" which would become one of the most famous nicknames in Zambian soccer history. It virtually became part of his name with many referring to him simply as ‘Zoom Ndhlovu’. Ndhlovu experienced segregation in pre-colonial Northern Rhodesia, where two leagues ran side by side–one for whites and one for the Africans. Audiences noted his skill on the ball, close control and deadly shooting. In 1960 he became Wanderers’ captain and after missing out on the inaugural Zambian National Football League championship of 1962 which was won by Roan United, Wanderers won the title the following year. Ndhlovu's eye-catching performances in the number 10 shirt for both Wanderers and Zambia made him very popular throughout the country and he was rewarded with the Zambian Sportsman of the Year award for 1964. In 1965 Wanderers defeated City of Lusaka 5–2 in the Castle Cup final and this qualified them to meet the Castle Cup winners from Southern Rhodesia in the Inter-Rhodesia Castle Cup final. Apart from the prize money of £590, the match carried extra motivation as no Zambian club had won it before…

Ndhlovu got involved in coaching at Wanderers from as early as 1966 when he became player coach replacing Harry McQuillan. From then on, he was involved as player-coach, coach or technical advisor. Ndhlovu was first appointed national team trainer in 1967 for a trip to Tanzania in July but was unable to make the trip due to work commitments. He however first handled the national team in December of the same year during the Jamhuri tournament against Kenya in Nairobi, at the age of 30 making him the youngest coach to take charge of Zambia in a full international match. Zambia won the two match series 5–1 and 4–3. Ndhlovu also took charge of Zambia as player-coach for a trip to Uganda in October the following year. He was appointed national player-coach again when a team was assembled to play Congo DR in Kinshasa. This invitation coincided with the visit of Russian team Leningrad Zeniths. FAZ officials accepted the Congolese offer and decided to send an under-strength team to Kinshasa. The result was Zambia's heaviest defeat on 22 November 1969 with Congo romping to a 10–1 victory. Ndhlovu said this was the worst game of his career and he was so shattered that he could not eat after the game. During the seventies, he was Wanderers Technical Advisor as the coaching role changed from George Sikazwe to Makwaza and in 1982 he took over as coach after Makwaza resigned. He went on to nurture players like Ashols Melu, Efford Chabala, Kalusha Bwalya, Charles Musonda and Johnson…

Ndhlovu was born in Luanshya and moved to Mufulira as a boy when his family settled there. At the age of eight, he formed his own team with friends of a similar age and they played in the streets or any open ground, against bigger lads and almost always got beaten. He went to Kankoyo Mine School where he excelled in various sport disciplines and it was from there that he joined the Mufulira Mine Team in 1956. The team later changed its name to Mufulira Wanderers Football Club.

Club Honours

Zambian League Title: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1969 Charity Shield: 1967 and 1968 Castle Cup: 1965, 1966, 1968, 1971, 1973 and 1974 Zambia Challenge Cup: 1967, 1968 and 1969 Heinrich Cup: 1964, 1965 and 1968 Champion of Champions Cup: 1974 Super Castle Cup: 1965

National honours

Ndhlovu won some minor trophies with the national team:

Rothmans International trophy: 1965, 1966 (3 match series with Kenya) Heroes Cup:1968 against Uganda Uganda Independence Cup: 1968

Individual honours

Zambian Sportsman of the Year: 1964 Insignia of Honour: 1973 Order of Distinguished Service (2nd Division): 1988

Coaching Honours

With Mufulira Wanderers as Coach or Technical Advisor Zambian league title: 1966, 1967, 1976 and 1978 Charity Shield: 1967, 1968, 1976 and 1977 Castle Cup/Independence Cup/Mosi Cup: 1966, 1968, 1971, 1975 and 1976 Zambian Challenge Cup: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1978, 1984 Heinrich Cup/Chibuku Cup/Heroes and Unity Cup: 1968, 1976, 1985 Champion of Champions: 1976, 1977 and 1978 With LCS Gunners

Botswana league title: 1994 Zambia National Team

Jamhuri Cup: 1967 in Kenya Uganda Independence Cup: 1968 SADCC Cup: 1990 CECAFA Cup: 1991