adminBlessing Malinganiza
REAL Betis Zimbabwe Academy chairman, Gerald Sibanda, has thanked Murape Murape for the services he rendered to junior football development in the country.
Murape left his role as Real Betis Academy head coach to become assistant coach of Dynamos.
Murape was one of the pioneer coaches of the academy and had been with Betis for two years.
He was also part of the Betis Academy team that went on an invitational tour to Spain recently, and he was awarded a certificate by Real Betis FC.
“Coach Murape is an inspiration to the boys and we were glad to have worked with him.
“He had been with the club for a while now and we are grateful to him for his efforts in the development of players and for supporting the vision of upcoming professional footballers in the country,” said Sibanda.
“We would like to thank Murape for his service and efforts and wish him the very best in his next chapter.”
Sibanda announced that Naison Muchekela is their new coach.
Muchekela said he is grateful for the opportunity he has been afforded.
“I am totally indebted to Real Betis Academy for giving me this opportunity to come and work with this institution.
“The Academy has a rich foundation and coaches who have rich knowledge of junior development.
“The international brand their possession-based philosophy is something that I totally subscribe to and something I am looking forward to working with during my tenure at the institution.”
The academy has also started a girls’ football programme.
“This is a new chapter for Betis, it’s a benchmark from the levels expected from us. We are bringing inclusivity and integration in our society through football.
“We will have outreach programmes in remote areas promoting the brand and affording the youth a chance to showcase their talent to us.
“Women’s football is on the rise, so we have to play our part in society and make an impact through football for the girl child. We want to give the same opportunity to the girls that we are giving the boys.
“Real Betis has got a top women’s team in La Liga and it’s also our mandate to groom some quality players and create opportunities for them, so it’s an exciting time for us as Betis Academy. We will be conducting trials soon and also giving scholarships to the less privileged.
“So, we are looking forward to putting the girl child on the map,” he said.
Online Reporter