Musanhu heeds Govt calls

Tadious Manyepo, Sports Reporter

CHINA-based Zimbabwean Walter Musanhu wants to complement calls by authorities, including the Government, for sound investment in grassroots football.

He is set to expand his Jadel Football Academy.

Musanhu established the nursery last month and sponsored a competitive four-team Under-15 tournament, which included winners CUMA from Kadoma, Inter Harare and BN Academy.

The academy, which Musanhu wants to turn into a school of football excellence in Southern Africa, will be a feeder side to the bigger Jadel project in Beijing, China.

And, on Saturday, the academy will hold further trials for its Under-15 section at Prince Edward High School in Harare.

Musanhu, who is in China, is scheduled to attend the event although he could fail to fly back home from the Asian nation, currently on high alert due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

The Chinese health authorities have stopped unnecessary public gatherings, meaning Jadel’s activities have also been put on hold in that country.

The Saturday trials will see kids from all corners of the country converging at Prince Edward for assessment.

General co-ordinator of the trials, Nick Munyonga, a sports medicine expert who has had previous stints with the Warriors, said all was set for the trials.

“Jadel Football Academy is going to be enrolling good Under-15 players on Saturday when the academy conducts trials on the day,” said Munyonga.

“We are looking at youngsters who possess everything consistent with the age-group football, including positional competence, speed, ball control, team building, ability to pass and support, ball screening as well as individual skill.”

At the moment, Jadel has no substantive coach though they will be naming one in the not-so-distant future.

Former Motor Action roving left-back Salim Milanzi will be in charge of scouts on Saturday.

A former Zimbabwe youth international who mainly featured for Motor Action, Musanhu is being helped in running the Jadel Football Academy by his UK-based elder brother, Chamu Musanhu.