Former players praised for Junior football support

Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
ZIFA Southern Region has hailed former players for their passion and involvement in driving a vibrant junior policy, saying this would help accelerate the development of football at the grassroots level.

Legendary former Highlanders’ skipper Thulani “Biya” Ncube, former Bantu Rovers winger Fortune “Fokoza” Ncube and Lucky Mkhosana are among former players that sponsor junior tournaments aimed at talent development in Bulawayo.

Mkhululi Mthunzi, the Zifa Southern Region officer responsible for the junior league desk in Bulawayo, said it was refreshing to see former players taking the initiative of talent identification and development.

“Bulawayo remains the stronghold of junior football development in the country. We are happy to see former players coming back to the communities they grew up in to identify and nurture a new crop of players,” said Mthunzi.

“Our hope is to see many other former players coming up with similar initiatives. The major thing is to take the young boys away from the streets. We are not only concerned about the football, but we want to create responsible players that will not be a nuisance off the field of play,” he said.

Ncube brought eight of his friends from Indiana, United States of America, to be part of his annual Biya and Friends Junior Football Festival that was held early this month.

Zebra Revolution won the inaugural edition of the Fortune Fokoza Foundation Under-14 Invitational Tournament after they narrowly beat Young Flying Stars 3-2 at Entumbane on Saturday.

The Zebras’ victory capped what has been a fruitful year for their director Mkhokheli Dube, who won the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title with Zvishavane-based side FC Platinum.

Bulawayo has been the epicentre of junior football in Zimbabwe, producing soccer stars such as the Ndlovu brothers, Madinda, Peter and the late Adam, as well as Bruce Grobbelaar, Benjani Mwaruwari, the late Benjamin Nkonjera, Agent Sawu, Ronald Sibanda, Methembe Ndlovu and a host of other talented players that came through the junior football league and went on to make successful careers.

The province’s junior league has all age groups from Under-14s up to Under-18s.