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Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi said the frequent training of coaches can enhance competitiveness across all levels of the game in this country.
He said this as he officially opened the CAF B Coaching Course at the ZIFA Village in Mt Hampden yesterday.
It is the first time in almost a decade that the country is hosting the CAF B license, which was last held in 2017.
ZIFA technical director Dominique Niyonzima and his predecessor Wilson Mutekede are the course facilitators.
Retaining the right to host CAF coaching courses was part of Magwizi’s election manifesto before he was chosen to lead the organisation last year.
And just a year later, he has managed to bring back the CAF courses including the elite ones like the CAF B badge.
Earlier in the year ZIFA staged a CAF A refresher course which attracted the country’s elite coaches who included Norman Mapeza, Kalisto Pasuwa, Takesure Chiragwi and Lloyd Mutasa.
The ongoing training has 25 coaches including three foreigners; Tony Semurola of Botswana, Nigerian Obinna Osafar and Bongiswa Dhlamini of Eswatini.
“For those of you who know, when was the last time we had a course running in Zimbabwe? Of course, it was 2017, almost 10 years ago. Ten years later, you are the first. I really want to help you so you can help yourselves.
“And you have a role to play. You guys are going to inspire others,” Magwizi told the class.
“The technical director has been very busy going across the country, making sure we have more and more qualified people so that football in this country can improve.
“We have held the CAF C, and we are now also licensed to run the CAF A.
“We won’t be able to run both CAF B and CAF A at the same time. But you are the leading class. If the CAF A is running, we expect to see people from this class coming through.”
Of the 25 coaches, three are women.
“I also want to congratulate you guys, and especially the ladies who are here.
“Let’s make space for them. I want to give my support to the gentlemen too. Gents, with all the exercises the TD has sent me through, let’s support them.
“We need to have strong, women-friendly football.“The ZIFA boss added that more and more coaches need to be trained so that the country can develop its own philosophy.
“The philosophy that we are going to develop and how this philosophy will cascade to grassroots, it is you who can drive that process.
“I am very happy right now we have been struggling with the issue of coaches. One of the things we are going to do is we are going to make sure that every age group, say Under 15, Under 17, Under 20, Under 23 and the senior teams, we want to make sure that we have technical teams on the ground.
“The senior national teams are the ones which often get all the attention. We always make sure that there is a technical team for the national team, for men, for women. Standard. So now the future is we are working with, we must have a technical team for the under 15. That is in situ. Always there.
“And we are going to have a team. And that is a job. I want a full-time business, not part time. That is the only way we can improve.
“That is what other countries are doing. So, if we can get people from Europe. If we can get talent from Europe. You are committed to seeing football develop.
“We have our Under 15s for both girls and boys. Coaches are there. From this talent, we go to Under-20s with coaches.
“If you take our team, that is there. I can assure you that in five years’ time, Zimbabwe will be a powerhouse similar to countries like Senegal. You have seen Senegal?”
Niyonzima said: “This course is about raising standards.
“We want coaches who understand the game technically, tactically and practically. The CAF B Licence is an important stage in that journey, and the commitment shown by the participants has been very encouraging,” the Burundian said.
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