MURAPE HAILS TOUR

Blessing Malinganiza in SEVILLE, Spain

REAL Betis Academy Zimbabwe coach, Murape Murape, says their tour of Spain is good for the development of the country’s future football stars.

The Academy is on a 10-day tour of Spain and held their first training session under Real Betis coaches yesterday morning.

“We held our first training with the Betis coaches and the youngsters are learning a lot.

“The coaches were impressed by what they saw.

“They told us we have a good team, and their intensity and execution is good.

“We have been receiving programming from them for the past two years, they were checking if the team had mastered them.

“I’m happy to say they were quite impressed by how far we have come and the progress we are making. The progress is good.

“It’s a starting point for us and the compliments were good, and it’s a thumbs-up to everyone who has been contributing to this cause,” Murape said.

He said they would be playing two matches, with the juniors taking on Betis Japan, and the older guys, playing against the Spain Betis Academy, this evening.

“For the youngsters to experience this will be good for them. “We are in the right direction and, hopefully, when we return home, we’ll go and improve what we have learnt here.

“We are here to learn and we will go back to implement what we have learnt.

“We have seen that there are no shortcuts to becoming a professional footballer.

“We have to do everything the right way in terms of development.

“So, these are the things we need to improve and work on as an institution.”

He said football development isn’t just about the technical aspect, but developing into a total human being.

They teach them the whole etiquette of a professional football player.

“All these things are important as an academy.

“We instill values into them because some of these players might get signed when they’re 14, so they must know what is required of them.

“Then having the opportunity to watch the game was a good experience for them.

“It was good that they watched Betis and Manchester United.

“Betis fielded their best team and Manchester had some senior players while most were youngsters.

“It’s good and motivating for our players to see 17 and18-year olds playing professional football.”