Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
EX-PREMIER Soccer League chairman and CAPS United president Farai Jere believes the national game is on the right pathway for revival and has saluted ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi for punching above his weight in his initial six months in office.
Jere stepped down from the leadership of the PSL in December before his bid to challenge for the ZIFA presidency hit a snag a month later.
The Murehwa West legislator has since moved on to put his full attention on his CAPS United project which has shown signs of rejuvenation since the arrival of Zambian coach Ian Bakala. With over two decades in the local football administration trenches, Jere has become an authoritative voice of the game, having also led the top-flight body between December 2018- 2024.
He also chairs the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport.
This week, he threw his weight behind the new ZIFA board and the strides which they are making to turn around an association that is coming from a chequered history of maladministration.
Jere said he had been impressed by the manner in which Magwizi had gone about business in the short period that the ZIFA president has been in office. During his tenure at the PSL Jere enjoyed a cordial working relationship with then ZIFA president Felton Kamambo and is confident his successor Isiah Mupfurutsa will do the same with Magwizi.
Magwizi yesterday officially congratulated Zimbabwe Women’s Soccer League chairperson Chido Chizondo and Mupfurutsa, following their respective July 25 election to lead their top-flight bodies.
“Remember, in my previous manifesto, one of the two key issues was to bridge the gap between ZIFA and the Premier Soccer League, which we achieved. “It’s very important because you cannot succeed in football if you work alone. We need to work with everyone, ZIFA and all key stakeholders. You do your stakeholder mapping: Who are they? Where do they fit in? Who is coming where? It’s very important and we managed to achieve that,’’ Jere said. “That man at ZIFA, Magwizi has done very well so far. He has punched above the weight, working with all stakeholders.
“I have seen him many times at our junior football matches, which I’ve never seen before. This is what we expect, someone passionate . . . he surprised me with how he’s doing his business. He’s doing very, very well.”
Jere also lauded Magwizi for battling to have the National Sports Stadium refurbished and re-opened to football but urged the game’s stakeholders to be patient with the ZIFA boss and his executive.
“Because we are in football, we know the expectations. Right now, this September, the National Sports Stadium will be back — and it’s a team effort. ZIFA is on board; we’re working as one board, Premier Soccer League and ZIFA.
“Look at the results — they’re there for all to see. In the PSL elections, one of the observers was the ZIFA CEO. She was there, the secretariat was there, giving us support.
“The current ZIFA president has been at several of our matches. I’m very happy — the guy is doing extremely well, meeting our expectations. But we can’t expect him to cover everything in a short time.
“We can’t just judge him . . . he’s trying. I was in Gweru where my kids were playing football in a junior league and I was surprised to see his ZIFA representative there, saying, we are here on assignment from the president to support this grassroots tournament,’’ Jere said.
“The guy is walking the talk, living his manifesto. His passion for junior football is touching all of us. We’ve been watching, and he’s doing it the right way. We’re very excited, very happy.”
Jere is also hopeful of exciting times in the PSL following the conclusion of long-awaited elections.
“We’re very happy the new leadership is coming. You know, our Premier League in this country had a leadership gap, which was unexpected from the time I left.”
“In his speech he (Mupfurutsa) mentioned where we are coming from during the Covid-19 and how his predecessor managed to keep football played and keep the sponsors intact and allow football to be played.
“As the premier League board, we agreed that we now needed to invest into the assets we need. Which actually saw us giving a resolution. This is very important.”
“He mentioned that he will take over from where we left and that he will abide by the constitutional dictates. “We are very excited, we are very happy, and the Premier Soccer League is not going to be the same under his leadership.
“We are going to move forward. The good thing about the incoming chairman is that he was actually the chairman of the finance committee in our previous board’’.
