A Tribute to A Phenomenon – Moses Sarr a.k.a. Zico

The roads to Half-Die mourn. Leman, Charles, Williams, Hurst and Hagan Streets remain desolate.  The youth groan and remain silent, speechless and dumb. Moody clouds hung over Banjul as grief and sadness reigns supreme, for one of our greatest sons had fallen. Let our melancholy and bleakness be heard in the confines of New Jeshwang; Tell our friends and brothers in Basse about our affliction and misery; Let the echoes of our cries and glumness be heard abroad in Senegal and Germany ; Let the nation know that a great son of the soil had finally slept where our forefathers dwell.  Moses Sarr, alias ZICO is no more.

Moses Sarr, was born at

27 Leman Street

on February 13, 1965. He was the last son and child of Papa Sang Sarr and Ya Teneng Sarr both of blessed memory. Moses came from a very humble family with great Serere traditions.  As a youth, Moses grew up like any other child in this vicinity, showing great respect to his elders and always willing to volunteer in taking up task both at the family and community levels.

Moses Sarr became a household name in The Gambia because of his exploits on the football field. Most of those who had known him can attest and testify that he was a great football player. Moses like the youths he grew up with learnt to play football on the streets and of course at Bayeh Half –Die. This football ground, where he became a high priest in the game had been Moses’ sanctuary for over two decades. It was here that he developed his unique skills and eventually established his authority as a force to be reckoned with in Gambian football. He was an outstanding winner on this ground and beyond.  At an early age, Moses had begun to emerge as a distinctive street player at

Leman Street

near the old clinic.  It was evident at the time that there were enormous skills in this plump, dark and rather timid child. 

In 1978, Moses scaled through the Common Entrance and gained a place for himself at Saint Augustine ’s High School. He never found it difficult to break into the ranks of the junior football team. He was a proud member of that junior team that won back to back, the High school league championship. This was a team that was captained by the ageless Bonu Johnson and comprised some of the finest junior players in the school at the time viz, Gabbi Ndow, Gerry Gomez, Eliman Lemon and Maba Jobe. 

At  age15, in 1980, Moses together with some of the youth around

Leman Street

, notably Pa Biran Bah, Abou Saho, Batch Samba Ceesay (Minty) Modou Ngum and his long time associate, Pa Alieu Njie (Jaigu) formed Hunger Football Club that featured in the Modou Ceesay Tournament at the junior Nawettan. It was during this period that Moses began to gather a cult of ultra loyalist youth supporters who had fallen in love with his brand of football, most especially the deft volleys that he had often conjured to score some very outstanding goals.

At the beginning of the academic year in 1982, Moses Sarr was a recognisable figure in the Saint Augustine ’s senior football team.  This period was a very difficult year for any emerging player in this senior team, for it coincided with the advent of some great players into the SAHS fold. 1982 heralded the emergence of Aziz Corr, (an absolute football wizard) Alieu Nyang (Zemeh), Ebou Faye, Ebou Conateh and Michael Demba into SAHS. But Moses never looked back. He was indispensable and thus a vital player in this selection.

It is worthy to note that prior to 1982, Moses Sarr had already made his debut at the GFA divisional level with the Augustinians Football Club at the Second Division. He was a very instrumental player at Augustinians struggling constantly to bang in the goals.  He was a reputable Number 10, in the real sense of the word, and an inspirational midfielder for this club. During this period, Moses had demonstrated some outstanding qualities. An indomitable and indefatigable midfielder, he was the very essence of brilliance in the game. He was not only creative, but very artistic in his creation. When he was in form, there was nothing like impossibility. Hence, he was placed under constant pressure in school by Father Gough, to make the required switch to Young Africans in the First Division. However, many people believed that it was because of Colley Fye’s influence that he made the switch to Young Africans, a team that was founded right in front of his doorsteps.  Moses was however, already a first division material and was ready for the challenge ahead.

June 1982 witnessed the world cup finals in Spain .  Shortly after this world cup, Moses Sarr was rechristened Zico, after that great Brazilian living legend.  Some people believed that it was Father Gough who named him Zico, after he scored a scaring and majestic volley against Nusrat High School during the high school league championship. No matter where this name came from, or who gave him this name, what is definitely certain is that he was named Zico because of his love for the volleys. Zic as we called him thereafter was the “Master of the Volleys and Half- Volleys”.   He had scored numerous goals of this nature with reckless abandon. One cannot fail to remember the master piece he scored against Mandela Football Club in 1986 while playing for Juventus. What about the stunner quarter volley he scored at Serekunda West against Sticklers in the 90s while playing for Ndoh Mi?  Where you there when he launched that long range volley at the High Level in Basse, while playing for NPE which mesmerised many supporters to this day?

By 1983 Zic was already ripe for the international stage. He made his debut for the Gambia against Ghana in 1983 at the Box Bar Stadium with the junior national squad or what was then fondly called the Under 23. In a star studded team that featured the likes of Amadou Makalay ( Adams ), Ali Samba, Saul Jagne, Cherno Jallow (Guard) and Joe Sambou, Zic never bowed his head low. He was fascinating and delightful to watch at this stage.  He quickly became a role model and a source of inspiration for so many Half- Die and Banjul youths in general because of his unique qualities. 

In 1984 Zic climbed a step higher when he made his debut for the senior national squad against Sierra Leone at the Independence Stadium in Bakau. This was a monumental success, as it allowed him to write his name in solid gold in the annals of history at Saint Augustine ’s as a School Boy International. This is no mean feat. All those who have been able to achieve this honourable feat were distinguished players in this country.  As students at SAHS, we were quite pleased to have a “half-day” the following day, because of Zic and Sheikh Ndure. Zic was indeed a phenomenon.

Zic in 1986 in Banjul , single handedly delivered both the Youth Front League and Knock Out trophies to Juventus Football Club. At Juventus, Zic was everything. As captain of the team, he had a commanding and intimidating presence.  You cannot deny him the ball when he demands for it.  Too often he had not only mesmerised his opponents but his players as well. Zic was always two or three steps ahead of his players. He was a club symbol, a great winner and a champion in every ramification. Let us add that Zic had starred for numerous Nawettan teams across the country during his career. Apart from Juventus, Zic had also played for Victoria Football Club in Banjul , Sticklers and “Ndoh Mi” Football Clubs in Serekunda West and NPE in Basse. His contributions to all these teams were massive and phenomenal. Let us also be courageous to state that Zic first featured at the Banjul Nawettan with a team called “Bombolong”, which was based around

Kent Street

.

Zic was also a very familiar figure across the boarder in Dakar , Senegal . In the late 80s he was a recognisable figure in Medina , where he helped the Nawettan team in this vicinity to great success. His exploits in Dakar brought him into close contact with the former Senegalese international goalkeeper, Sheikh Seck, who tried to convince Zic to play for Jaraaf in the First Division league.  In fact Zic had spent quite some time in Dakar , trying to finalise a move to Jaraaf from Wallidan. But this never materialised partly because Zic was rather a little bit impatient, but more so, because the top rankers in Wallidan never wanted such a move, for probably one of their finest players.

There is no doubt that the Great Zic had his finest moments in the Gambia , while playing for Wallidan Football Club.  Zic made a transfer from Young Africans to Wallidan in 1987.  At Wallidan, Zic was the spearhead of a formidable midfield that grouped together Lamin Owens, Star Janneh and Kissima Jobarteh. Zic was the very vein, the blood line, the nerve centre that constantly fed numerous star strikers like Tijan Fye (Heulou) and Sheikh Ndure to give Wallidan the desired results. He was the lubricant that made the difference in the Wallidan engine room.  With Wallidan Zic has won a number of Leagues, Knock Out trophies and the Super Cup. Zic was a monumental figure in Wallidan and hence stands tall and proud in the history of this great club.

Zic, eventually left the shores of the Gambia in the early 90s to test his feet in Germany .

The Great Zic deserves a posthumous award from the Gambia Football Association.  He had never refused any call from the national squad. In fact Zic had continuously endangered his education in order to be in the best physical condition possible to represent his beloved country.  Let me state with authority that Zic was never on scholarship at SAHS, despite the fact that he was far much a better player than most of those that enjoyed the scholarships given by Father Gough. His school fees were continuously paid by his family. There was no provision made for people like Zic when they miss classes at SAHS while in camp with the national squad.  He entirely depended on his brothers in the class, who routinely copied notes for him and helped him in the best way possible.  It will be very much unfair and inhumane if we should allow these selfless sacrifices to go in vain.

Zic was stout hearted. He was a national symbol of selfless humanity. He was jovial and had always played the “big brother” role. He was quick in sharing the little he had and very fond of making friends, most especially among the youth who adored Zic as an icon. Despite the status and glamour that had greeted him very early in life, Zic had always remained true to himself.  He was down to earth and always accommodating. He will surely be greatly missed.

In the name of football heroes in this county, Zic is my hero. He was without doubt one of the best players of his generation in this country.

Let me seize this opportunity to extend my sincere condolence to the entire Sarr family, at home and abroad, most especially, Remi , Pa George Sarr, Emmanuel, Susef and Pascal.

Adieu my friend and Brother.  God be with you till we meet again.