Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere, Zimpapers Sports Hub
HIGHLANDERS FC long serving goalkeeper Ariel “Mangoye” Sibanda has begun life beyond the goalposts, starting his journey into coaching.
The 35-year-old Sibanda, who has remained loyal to the Bosso badge throughout his playing career, was part of the second leg of the Zifa D Licence Goalkeeper Coaching Course that wrapped up in Bulawayo last Friday.
“It’s still a learning curve for me. I will take it step by step. But I’m still playing for now,” said the soft-spoken Sibanda.
The black-and-white Bosso faithful, who have watched him guard the posts with composure and class for over a decade, are already warming to the thought of seeing him eventually lead from the dugout.
Also in attendance was Bosso legend Peter “Oxo” Nkomo, himself a former mentor to Sibanda.
He joined Bosso goalkeepers’ coach Tembo “Chokri” Chuma, former Warriors shot-stopper Energy Murambadoro, Johannes Tshuma, Ndodana Sibanda (formerly with Hwange and Bosso), and Hosea Ndebele, who oversees goalkeepers at Zifa Region Division side Victoria City Herentals.
Warriors head coach Michael Nees was also present in Bulawayo during the course.
Following an impressive kick-off in Harare days earlier, aspiring goalkeeper coaches in the City of Kings received elite training from David Wetzel, a Fifa-accredited Uefa specialist coach educator from Germany.
From cutting edge techniques to elite player development models, the course aims to shape the future of Zimbabwean goalkeeping, one dive, save, and box command at a time.
The Zifa D Licence Goalkeeping Coaching Course was made possible by the Zifa technical development committee, chaired by Tafadzwa Benza, and supported by former Highlanders CEO Nhlanhla Bahlangane Dube.
Zifa technical director Jethro Hunidzarira said: “We invited a Germany coach who is a specialist in that department.
“He is actually the current Germany national team goalkeeper. It’s a compressed course that seeks to create a path for our current and former goalkeepers.
“It’s actually a 20-hour course. In Bulawayo, it started on Wednesday and concluded on Friday. We are trying to cater for both men and women goalkeepers’ trainers.”
@FungaiMuderere
