adminMzingaye Sibanda Sports Reporter
THE Zifa Southern Region Division One champions Bulawayo Chiefs will recruit junior players for their academy in Bulilima and Mangwe districts today.Chiefs last month postponed the selection exercise because Grade Seven pupils were preparing for their examinations.
Bulawayo Chiefs whose base is Plumtree, want to plough back to the community by nurturing young soccer talent. Their target is to identify about 60 players in the Under-13 and 15 categories from the two districts. These will have their fees, levies and other costs for their secondary education paid for by the club.
Chiefs want to emulate the famous Barcelona Academy which has produced world class players by grooming and bonding them together at a young age.
Bulawayo Chiefs will also be fulfilling Zifa requirements which stipulate that each Premier League team must have junior structures.
Bulawayo Jumbos coach and Chiefs Academy spokesman Dalubuhle Bhebhe said they have received overwhelming support from the community and teachers.
“We had a workshop last month to introduce our project and we received overwhelming support,” he said.
Bhebhe said they would have a tournament involving teams from the two districts where they would identify players.
“Teachers and technical staff of Bulawayo Chiefs will be identifying talent for the academy,” he said.
Bulawayo Chiefs, who have booked their Premier Soccer League berth with a game to spare, have promised to keep Dingumuzi Stadium as their home ground.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter