HARARE - Ten years after hanging his football boosts, former Zimbabwe international Kingston Rinemhota still bears emotional scars of failing to make a great impact in Europe because of injury.
Having broken into Europe at an early stage of his career after joining a Swedish First Division Club, IKF Vasteras, Rinemhota earned plaudits from the club’s president Karlerik Erksson.
And a deal to move to England was beckoning for the Bindura-born striker but a groin injury he suffered whilst at Lancashire Steel would haunt him thereby failing to impress the Nottingham Forrest scouts who had travelled to Sweden to assess him.
“When Lancashire Steel loaned me to CAPS United in 1995, I lasted there for about a month before the Swedish club came. I went to Sweden together with Ian Gorowa,” narrated Rinemhota.
“We joined a First Division side Vasteras and football was not okay in Sweden then. The league was not very competitive but I was afforded a chance to impress in England.
“Nottingham Forest came to Sweden for a training camp and they wanted to look at the Zimbabwean players. Unfortunately I had a serious groin injury and could not play.
“It was painful to lose that chance and maybe I could have landed a move to England then. I had a serious groin injury and the club could not keep me for a long time,” said Rinemhota.
In fact, had it not been for that injury, the speedy forward, could have landed a big move to the then English Premiership side in a deal that was being facilitated Winston Makamure.
Unfortunately his spell in Sweden was cut short because of injury. And on his return from Sweden he rejoined Lancashire Steel, who then later loaned him to AmaZulu where he spent two seasons before joining Dynamos.
Rinemhota would become a key member for Dynamos although his appearances were limited by injuries.
He played in the same DeMbare squad that reached the group stages of the 1999 African Champions League together with the likes of Calisto Pasuwa, Lloyd Mutasa, Lovemore Ncube, Memory Mucherahowa among others.
And in 2000, Rinemhota moved South Africa’s Super Disk when he joined Free State Stars who were then coached by former Highlanders coach Roy Barretto.
Whilst in South Africa he developed into a feared striker and earned himself call ups to the Zimbabwe national team.
In 2003, he returned home and rejoined DeMbare, who were now under the guidance of Moses Chunga.
Rinemhota feels that he played his best days when he was with the Chimbi Chimbi Boys.
“I enjoyed my football at Lancashire. That was the best time in my career. I was still young and confident and I was not plagued by injuries,” he said.
Rinemhota recalled the Premiership tie between his Lancashire Steel side and Dynamos in May 1995 at Baghdad Stadium as one of his best matches in his career.
“We were playing Dynamos before a full house at Baghdad and I remember scoring two goals when beat them 6-3,” said Rinemhota.
At Lancashire, Rinemhota played alongside yesteryear stars like, Newman Bizeck, Paul Gundani, Norman Nkomani while Adul Karim was the goalkeeper.
Having started his playing career in his hometown Bindura at Chipadze High School before moving to Lancashire Steel, Rinemhota saw it befitting to end his career there.
He featured for Mwana Africa as player and assistant coach during the last days of his professional career.
Born in 1974, Rinemhota is now taking coaching as a full time and has attended several coaching coaches.