Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
FRANCIS Zimunya, a former Black Aces and Rio Tinto goalkeeper who went on to be a successful coach, says predecessor value and institutional memory are key in sport.
Speaking to Zimpapers’ Yesteryear Greats Column, Zimunya said what worked before for the game can be trusted to work today.
“There are systems that were there before, there are people who made an impact that we can turn to. Predecessor value is very important, nowadays whoever comes into office, does not want to take notes from those that were there before. We lose it there, football is a relay, you pass on the baton to the next man and wish him well,’ said Zimunya.
He believes amateur and social football must be embraced and encouraged to grow as they bring the numbers to the game. They have a wider reach.
He praised the likes of Manikidza Nyoni, Nelson Mawema, Ronnie Maseko and David Musabayana for making amateur Area Zone football work in the past.
Zimunya coached several clubs and is still active with the game through the Zimbabwe Stakeholders Forum.
A former Zifa technical committee chairman, under whom Zimbabwe reached the Afcon finals for the first time in 2004 and won two Castle Cosafa tournaments and the Under-20s, Zimunya believes there has not been enough talent coming from the local scene.
“The last genuine stars were the likes of Benjani Mwaruwari. A countrywide development programme should be put in place, have a monitoring and evaluation mechanism in place and get the players exposed. Professionalism is what we need to among those selected and tasked to run these programmes. Let us put football first,” said the 75-year-old businessman.
Francis Zimunya’s X1
Posani Sibanda, Stephen Chimedza, Oliver Kateya, William Sibanda, Josiah Nxumalo, Peter Ndlovu, Benjani Mwaruwari, Peter Nyama, Paul Tsumbe, George Shaya and Ebson ‘Sugar’ Muguyo
The Best X1 of those he coached
Brenna Msiska, Vusi Laher, Carlos Max, Ephraim Dzimbiri, Tobias Sibanda, David Mwanza, Gift Mpariwa, Joel Shambo, Friday Phiri, Shaky Tauro and Archieford Chimutanda
