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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
FOOTBALLERS Union of Zimbabwe president, Desmond Maringwa, believes the arrival of Real Betis could be one of the biggest game-changers in the history of the national game.
The Spanish La Liga club are launching the first Betis Academy in Africa, in this country, this year.
It will be the first, of a series of sports projects, which Real Betis say they will launch here.
The projects are part of a strategic masterplan to extend their brand throughout the world.
Other similar Betis projects have been launched in China, United States and Mexico and, in Zimbabwe, the club are working with local agency, Athletes Sphere Management.
Yesterday, Dynamos legend, Murape Murape, was unveiled as one of the local coaches of the Betis academy in this country.
More retired players, across the country, are expected to be recruited as scouts in the coming months.
“For them to embrace legends, within the academy, is going to be a great idea and we know there is also creation of employment and appreciation of legends for what they have done,’’ said Maringwa.
“Having legends in there, they have run the race and they know how it feels, they have come from junior structures and have seen it all, at the club and national team level.
“It is a great initiative and we hope they will be able to employ a lot of former retired players, not only in Harare but Bulawayo, Gweru and other towns.’’
Maringwa said the long-term benefits for Zimbabwean football were huge.
“They are coming with a good professional set-up, a European model, style, whereby players won’t have challenges when they go to Europe,’’ said Maringwa.
“For us, youth and junior development have always been key and the fact that they are taking them, from an early age, it becomes an advantage for us, as an organisation, to impart knowledge to the young kids.
“What they have done is a very good thing.’’
Murape said it was a dream come true to coach a football franchise under the direct ownership of a European club.
He has been thrust at the forefront of the project, which is expected to begin next month, with an Under-18 group, should football gets the greenlight to return.
He will be guided by a technical director, who will come from Spain, to lead the academy’s technical structure.
“It is a very special day for me and a dream come true,’’ Murape said.
“Growing up in Chitungwiza, and playing football in the streets as a young boy, my dream was that one day I would play in Europe but I never got to achieve that in my career.
“I never stopped believing in myself, that’s why I kept pushing.
“Now, today, achieving that dream as a coach, it is really exciting. I am grateful. I am happy.
“I am pleased with the respect, and trust, l have got from Mr Sibanda (Gerald, the ASM founder and chief executive).
Since his retirement, the former Soccer Star of the Year has worked with junior footballers at DeMbare and Heritage School.
Two years ago, he nearly established an academy at the Chinhoyi University of Technology and at Chinhoyi High School.
“We want to make sure that we get this right. The opportunities that we never got, as young players, are now available for the youth of the today,’’ said Murape.
“I think I have gained my experience, as a coach, over the years and I will also have an opportunity to enhance my coaching knowledge by learning from one of the best methodologies in the world.
“I just can’t wait to get our training methodology, our curriculum and to liaise with the technical director from Spain, who will be heading this programme, so that I can learn as much as possible from him.’’
Murape said he is ready to work with players who are hungry to succeed.
“When we start our recruitment, we will bring in the right players who want to go far, have a good attitude towards effort and want to make it into Europe,’’ he said.
“We don’t want our players to say the dream is to go to South Africa, but we want them to think big, we want players who have a mindset to go and play in Europe.
“Football is a big business and you can see all over the world that teams like Barcelona and Manchester United are signing players, at the age of 15 and 16.
“So, with this programme, what we want is to make sure we equip our players so that by the time they get to the ages of 17 and 18, they are be able to play, go and compete with other academies in Europe and compete with the best in world.
“If we can have our players getting signed, at an earlier age, straight from Zimbabwe going to play in Europe, it would be great for us as an institution.
“We want to make sure we create the platform and the opportunities.
“I am just overwhelmed and I just want to get started and do what I know best — that is coaching football.’’
Sibanda said Murape, just like any of the coaches who will come on board, will have to be certified by Real Betis to ensure they are up to the levels expected by the La Liga side.
That should open an avenue, for the local coaches, to be attached with the Spanish side in what could be a game-changer to their lives and careers.
Online Reporter