Clive Thabo Dube
AS many stakeholders continue to mourn the depreciation of the standards of the nations football development structures, some junior coaches have called on the custodians of the game that is the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) to consider funding football nurseries across the country.
Zim GBC News spoke to football analyst Shalom Gela, popularly known as “Coach Shanko”, who said that the issue of junior development is only mentioned towards elections and other funding activities. Yet no one seems to really care about youth football.
“The Junior football setup in this country is overlooked and some of the leaders at the top careless about what happens where the game should begin, that is the junior set- up. In Bulawayo, yes there is formal junior leagues. In other provinces, junior clubs play friendlies throughout the year and appear here, and there are tournaments. Most junior teams in the country are self funded.” Said Coach Shanko who is involved with Simunye FC, Sporting Lions, ReaVaya FC and Nketa Tigers from the South Western areas of the city of Bulawayo.
“ZIFA has to understand that the core of football is Grassroots. They must accommodate Junior Clubs in their budget. Actually they need to have a lump sum of money towards Junior clubs and make sure these Grassroots and Levels 1 and 2 coaching courses are free of charge because the beneficiaries are working for free most of them.” Added Gela.
Coach Gela also questioned why the coaching courses offered in the country, mostly Level 1 and 2 are pricey prized at around US$150 when the targeted would be Gaffers who work for free at most junior clubs.
Another coach Albert Mudimba who works with Victoria Falls- based Second Division outfit Nakaluba Warriors FC chipped in by calling on sponsors to compliment the efforts of ZIFA.
“If the coaches are given the required equipment, financial resources they will be serious. So far, those with k knowledge of nurturing youngsters have to do other side hustles in order to make ends meet. The youngsters themselves, come to the soccer field as an after thought because there is alternatives like finding ways to make money and in the negative ways (drug abuse),” said Mudimba.
Mudimba also said the shrinking of football development structures is forcing coaches in the top flight to recycle old horses.