Chronicle Editor
Descent Dube, Sports Reporter
BRITISH sportswear company, Umbro, has availed nine design options for new Zifa national team kits following an agreement signed between the two parties earlier this month.
The giant signed a three-year deal with Zifa in which it will also supply a full consignment of training equipment, travelling gear and playing kits for all the national teams, including the women and various age-group teams.
The playing kit options sent to the national association comprise three designs each for home matches, away games as well as an alternative in case of a clash of colours.
The first consignment is expected in time for the Warriors’ African Cup of Nations qualifier against Congo-Brazzaville at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on March 24.
All the jersey features will be 100% polyester lightweight micro eyelet, 100% polyester mash, with ribbed round neck collar, diamond sleeve ends tape and embroidered logos.
Shorts features are also 100% polyester lightweight micro eyelet, 100% polyester mash, elasticated waist band with draw cord and embroidered logos, while the socks’ features are 100% polyester, elastane poly blend, fitted ribbed top panel, arch support and cushioned sole.
Although Zifa has not commented about the nine kit designs published by Chronicle Sport on Wednesday, readers voted for their preferred options for the three designs they believe are suitable for the national teams following a poll run by this publication.
For the home kit, whose jersey is predominantly yellow, fused with red, and yellow shorts and socks, readers settled for Option 2, which has a fancy design. For the away kit, the green jersey with red embroidery on the sleeve and yellow short with red socks won the poll, beating the green jersey with slanting red lines, green short and green socks as well as the third sample of a plain green shirt, green short and green socks.
The alternative kit readers picked is the white jersey with vertical national flag colours on the left side and white shorts. This was from one sample of a plain white jersey and white short, and the other with green infused on white.
Below are some reactions to all the nine samples.
Duke Ncube: The white one with our flag is nice to me. When you are done, can you give us the details on where to order this new kit.
Learnmore Machingauta: Alternative kit should be the home kit; home (kit) should be alternative.
Elton: I will pay USD$1 000 to whoever can design us a world class badge. The one they have here is embarrassing to say the least.
Chalton Nyandoro: So this kit is gonna score goals for the national team?
Mshawasha: Isn’t green tops and yellow shorts our traditional home kit? I would suggest it over that second one, but anyway nice kits from the designers.
Broonie Makhalima: Yellow to be away kit and white witout the stripes to be home kit.
Revai Gwizi: White kit is very nice to me.
John Kurewa: The white kit with stripes is good because that is our national flag.
Ndobva Tadii Paye: Yellow is the best. Not taking anything away from white, yellow is the real deal.
Norman Nyapfumbi: White and the flag is nice as it has some sense of pride. It has everything to do with Zimbabwe.
Fchokwadi: The home kit is a no, no. since when do we use red and yellow. Bring back the yellow shirts, greens shorts combination.
Proud Lungisani Nkomo: The home kit is ugly, loving away and alternative kits, they’re so well made.
Brutal Truth: The alternative kit must be the one for home, the one on the right (white infused with green) to be specific.
Masaisai: Why do we import soccer jerseys? You mean we can’t sew our own? Though the chosen kits aren’t the official ones, those who participated in the polls can only hope their views will be considered.— @DecoDecent2
Bongani Ndlovu