Online Reporter
Petros Kausiyo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE’S football legends have expressed optimism that the inaugural ZIFA BancABC Roots Impact programme, which bursts into life across three centres today could just be the impetus that development of the country’s flagship sport needed.
The tournament, featuring Boys and Girls’ Under-14 and Under-16 teams will have its Week One fixtures staged in Harare, Bulawayo and Masvingo provinces.
Prince Edward will host the games featuring teams from Harare province and those from Mashonaland Central, East and West, while Victoria High is the venue for the showdown between hosts Masvingo against Manicaland.
White City Stadium will cater for Midlands, Matabeleland North, South and hosts Bulawayo.
As the next generation of Warriors look to showcase their talents, the tournament has received thumbs up from their predecessors, the majority who came through varying development systems in the 1980s and 1990s.
Former Zimbabwe captain and coach Norman Mapeza, now in charge of Premier Soccer League high-fliers Scottland in welcoming the BancABC Roots Impact tourney, also urged ZIFA to go beyond just the tournament and establish junior leagues.
“We need proper junior leagues to sustain development. It is no doubt a good initiative from ZIFA and I am happy that there is some investment in junior football now,’’ Mapeza said.
“But I strongly recommend that with a league you can develop the young players better.
“During our time, companies funded junior leagues for example we had the Bona Junior league for Under-16s and the Manica Freight league for the Under-18s.
“While tournaments are okay, the players will play two or three games so my suggestion is that you will need leagues to back them up as the basis for development,’’ said Mapeza.
Mapeza honed his skills on the fields of the dormitory town of Chitungwiza alongside a host of players who went on to become household names in the country.
They include Lloyd Chitembwe, Kalisto Pasuwa, Alois Bunjira, Edelbert Dinha, Gift Muzadzi and Stewart Murisa.
Ex-Lancashire Steel and Kaizer Chiefs striker Luke Petros-Jukulile who began his career with the CAPS United juniors also saluted the Roots Impact program.
“It is a very good initiative done by ZIFA. Grassroots tournaments for both girls and boys is very important because these are the ages that are very, very critical, where if we don’t tap into them early, it becomes difficult for them to grow up knowing the fundamental elements of football.
“It is very good to unearth new talented kids around the country and it is a very good platform to use to identify them at an early age and have a database of them to develop for future national teams’’ Petros-Jukulile said.
“Back in the 1990s, we had those sort of tournaments in regions like Harare, Bulawayo to mention but a few, where we had teams like CAPS United, Dynamos, Darryn Tornadoes, Arcadia, Highlanders, Zimbabwe Saints, Eagles, competing in Junior League football and we also competed in the ZIFA Under-14 Cup . . . these are the tournaments that yielded us, when I was playing for CAPS United juniors in 1991.
“It also helped us to quickly fit into the senior teams at the clubs, secure contracts with foreign clubs and fit into the national team. With these kind of tournaments, you will be taking kids away from drugs and substance abuse and teach them how to interact. It is also good for diverse cultural interaction,’’ he said.
For former Warriors assistant coach Mkuphali “Mr Cooper’’ Masuku, the tournament rekindles memories of his childhood, when he was growing up in Mpopoma, Ntumbane and later in Pelandaba, Gwanda.
“I think this is the best program for the boys and girls. There are not many tournaments nowadays so this will boost the boys and girls and give them something to look forward to.
“I wish ZIFA can come up with so many programs like this for our youth development and talent identification,’’ Masuku said.
Veteran coach Sammy Mavhenyengwa, who grew up in Mbare and starred for Black Rhinos, has also been charmed.
“The programme is a blessing to us all.
“Yes, it reminds us of the days of community programmes that produced a lot of talent.
“I have Chiremba Primary School in Ruwa that has qualified for the Roots Impact tournament.
“This is good for Zimbabwe football development. I’m enjoying it,’’ Mavhenyengwa said.
Ex-Highlanders midfielder Johannes Ngodzo recalled how he developed into a star player at the Bulawayo giants after playing in development competitions since he was just a raw Under-14 boy growing up in Mzilikazi.
“I think these programmes are the best.
“We need them and I hope they can continue to be spread across the country.
“We were lucky that we started playing at below the age of 14 and we were playing competitive games at Under-14, Under-16, Under-18 right up to the first team and this helped us to grow as a players.
“So, if it can be spread to Under-12 or even Under-13 levels, but it is a very good programme,’’ Ngodzo said.
Johannes came from a footballing family where his young brothers Zephaniah and Joel also came through the junior ranks to feature for Bosso.
Joel Ngodzo then had a memorable 2019 while featuring for CAPS United that saw him being voted the Castle Soccer Star of the Year.
