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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
WITH complete goalkeepers increasingly in short supply in the country, former Warriors shot-stopper Ephraim Mazarura has decided to dedicate his time to nurturing goalkeepers by setting up an exclusive academy.
The nursery, named First Class Academy, is scheduled to be launched early next month in Harare.
Mazarura will be working with former Dynamos and Highlanders goalkeeper Munyaradzi Diya in moulding generational stars for the critical department.
Except for a few like Ngezi Platinum’s Nelson Chadya and Donovan Bernard of Chicken Inn, the local league is dominated by average to below average goalkeepers who possess one or two of the many critical aspects required for the position.
And over the last few years, the Warriors and even the Mighty Warriors have been let down by poor goalkeeping resulting in their failure to qualify or progress beyond the early stages of international tournaments.
Yet a few decades ago, this used to be one of the strongest points the country would brag about when giants like Energy Murambadoro, Bruce Grobbelaar, Ernest Chirambadare, Tapuwa Kapini, Mazarura himself, Edmore “Zikeeper” Sibanda and Gift “Umbro” Muzadzi among others were keeping the goal for the country.
And Mazarura has decided to chip in and help the country in this respect by coming up with a specialised goalkeeping academy.
With all the requisite papers on the ground, First Class Academy will become the first exclusive goalkeeping academy in the country.
Already running Mopao Mazet Football Academy, Mazarura said he feels duty-bound to transform junior football in the country.
“Well, First Class Academy is the only academy for goalkeepers in Zimbabwe. We are putting together resources which will see us officially launching the project next month,” said Mazarura.
“I thought of this goalkeeping academy after I noticed the lack of good goalkeepers in Zimbabwe.
“In this country, one can hardly find an academy with many goalkeepers as most academies are dominated by infield players.
“We have seen so many calamitous mistakes on the part of goalkeepers at national team level, in the leagues and even at schools.
“Most of these goalkeepers are very good but a closer look will tell you that they lack crucial skills which they should otherwise have picked while still in their development phases.
“So I thought maybe if we can have a goalkeepers’ academy there will be interest in some kids to come and learn the fundamentals required for this critical department.
“Goalkeeping is a very critical position and it needs proper coaching.
“We have realised that there are too many shortcuts. So we need to start from the grassroots. We will be working with Munyaradzi Diya on this project. He has shown strong passion for it”.
Mazarura said goalkeepers need to be as good shotstoppers, which is not a problem for most of them across all levels of the league anyway, as they are with their feet and ball distribution. He said this department needs people with good command skills and people who can read the game.
“The process that should make our goalkeepers needs meticulous effort as there is a lot that goalkeepers need to master,” he said.
“You look at general shot-stopping, distribution of the ball, ability to be involved actively or passively in play and a whole lot of fundamentals.
“We want to see everything changing and Zimbabwe be the home of good goalkeepers again”.
Online Reporter