Chiefs set up women’s side

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Chiefs have joined the elite group of Premier Soccer League clubs that take Caf club competitions seriously by establishing a women’s side.

The new Caf regime announced in August that starting from next year, only clubs that invest in women’s football would be allowed to take part in its club competitions such as the Champions League and Confederation Cup.
Chiefs, who celebrate their 10 years of existence next year, have appointed Evans Netha to head the women’s side assisted by former Mighty Warriors’ defender Nobuhle Majika.

Caf club licensing senior manager Muhammad Sidat said the continental body is serious about the development of women’s football, hence the decision to make it mandatory for clubs that wish to compete in the Champions League and Confederation Cup to have women’s structures for the 2022/23 competitions.

Chiefs’ secretary-general Dumisani Mantula-Sibanda said besides moving to align with Caf club licensing, the Ninjas are keen on developing women’s football.

“There’s a lot that we’re doing as a professional club to try and be at par with top international clubs. All along we’ve been concentrating on growing the Bulawayo Chiefs brand through our men’s team and now it’s time to move on and invest in women’s football, which we feel has been neglected of late,” said Mantula-Sibanda.

“We’ve appointed Evans Netha head coach of the women’s team and he’ll work with former national team defender Nobuhle Majika. What we can’t deny or hide is that we’re dreaming big and when you’re preparing for a big project, you have to cover all aspects and don’t want to be caught unaware. That’s why we’re moving to be compliant with tenets of club licensing by having a women’s team. This women’s team will compete in the First Division and hopefully one day they’ll be promoted to the topflight women’s league,” he said.

Newly appointed Chiefs’ head coach, Portuguese Nilton Terroso, who started work on Friday, will oversee all Chiefs’ teams, including the women’s side.

Terroso is a holder of a Uefa A coaching badge and a degree in football coaching and performance from the University of South Wales.

Former Zimbabwe international Agent Sawu is in charge of the men’s developmental side that competes in Division Two.

Mantula-Sibanda said in due course, they’ll be unveiling technical structures of their junior teams. — @ZililoR