Controversial preacher Passion Java has sensationally claimed that his father co-owned former Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Darryn Tornadoes and was the one, together with Wiesław Grabowski, who discovered some of the best footballers of yesteryear.
Java insinuated that his father was partly responsible for the nurturing of the likes of Norman Mapeza, Alois Bunjira, Lloyd Chitembwe and Stewart Murisa.
The eccentric self-styled prophet made the stunning claims on the ZTN show, The Couch. Java said:
My father co-owned the team called Darryn T, he is the one who discovered players like Mapeza and Bunjira and they used to stay at our home most of the times.
There was this white guy named Grabowski, a good friend of my father, whose cousin ran a textile business (in Chitungwiza).
He used to come to our home too and that’s how these players were discovered because he had money.
However, Soccer24 has cast doubt on Java’s astonishing claims. The publication said it is widely known that Grabowski led the project and is usually credited for unearthing these stars.
Further, Darryn T was formed after a struggling former top-flight club State House Tornadoes merged with Darryn Textiles, a company-owned side based in Chitungwiza.
That was when the likes of Mapeza, Chitembwe, Bunjira, Edelbert Dinha, Gift Muzadzi, and 1996 Soccer Star of the Year Stewart Murisa, all based in Chitungwiza, were scouted and placed under development at the club’s junior development teams.