Vusumuzi Dube
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FC PLATINUM are determined to give opportunities to aspiring young footballers from across the country and help them achieve their dreams by enrolling them at their Guinea Fowl High School-based academy.
The Zvishavane-based club is emerging as a force to reckon with in the domestic football scene and in their growth, they have seen wisdom in investing in young players.
On Thursday, FC Platinum started a two-week trial stint for aspiring young footballers from across the country at Mandava Stadium, with shortlisted candidates set to find their way to Guinea Fowl where the platinum miners will pay their fees.
At Guinea Fowl, the footballers will play football at the same time pursuing their academic studies.
Chido Chizondo, FC Platinum’s spokesperson said young footballers in camp were identified by a host of scouts that they have established relations with.
“We believe that for FC Platinum to keep on doing well not only in the country but excel outside our borders we have to have a vibrant junior policy. The FC Platinum Academy which is based at Guinea Fowl High School is an incubator and we’re grateful to the partnership we have with the school.
“Right now, there’s a group of kids from across the country going through trials so that they make it into the FC Platinum Academy which wants to uplift the lives of these kids and help them realise their dreams. As FC Platinum, we believe in giving everyone a chance and that is why you see that some of the participants are coming from remote areas, having been recommended by some of the scouts we’ve created relations with. We’ve a number of players that are in the first team who came through the Guinea Fowl based FC Platinum academy,” said Chizondo.
Twenty-year-old striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya who scored 10 goals in his debut Premiership season for FC Platinum who won their fourth consecutive title, Hagazio Magaya (22), Panashe Mutimbanyoka (20), Kelvin Mangiza (21) and Oscar Bhebhe (20) are all products of the platinum miners’ academy.
Joe Berekera and FC Platinum’s Under-19 coach Moses Mwafulira are taking charge of the trials that will see lucky aspiring footie stars getting scholarships to Guinea Fowl.
Binga Football Academy’s Pauletta Mwembe is hoping to make the grade and earn a football scholarship by impressing at FC Platinum where he is attending the two-week trial.
The 14-year-old midfielder who won the Player of the Tournament at the 2022 edition of the Fortune Fokoza Ncube Youth Tournament, left Binga on Wednesday night to join camp in Zvishavane on Thursday afternoon.
Mwembe, a Form One pupil at Masibita Secondary School in Manjolo said: “I’m excited at the opportunity that has been presented to me and I’m looking forward to the experience. I’ll try to do my best and make my teammates, Binga Academy proud. Hopefully, I’ll make it. FC Platinum are a big club and champions and I wish to play for them one day.”
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Online Reporter