MUZADZI BACKS PANJAP FOR ZIFA POST

Langton Nyakwenda

Zimpapers Sports Hub

GIFT “Umbro” Muzadzi wants local football leaders to have a passion for the development of talent in the rural areas.

The former Warriors and Dynamos ‘keeper is hopeful such leaders will emerge during the ZIFA elections set for this month.

Muzadzi says he has been impressed by aspiring board member Brighton “Panjap” Ushendibaba’s vision to transform football in marginalised areas.

“I was impressed by his vision, he is talking about rural football development and I hope he will be one of the board members.

“What is important is to have leaders with football at heart and I am hoping whoever is elected president and his team, that is the board members, will consider rural football development.

“They have to take it seriously, because we have a situation where most people concentrate on towns and urban areas,” Muzadzi said.

He added:

“Boys and girls from rural areas are treated like second citizens, yet they are also Zimbabweans who should also be treated the same as their urban counterparts.

“It doesn’t mean that talent is only in Harare, Gweru, Mutare or Bulawayo.

“Or in these urban centres like Mbare, Chitungwiza, Mabvuku, Mufakose, Dangamvura.

“We also need to think about those boys and girls in the rural areas.

“Grassroots development must spread to the rural areas. “

He said a lot of talent in the rural areas was going to waste.

“There is talent in the rural areas, some of the boys I have seen can actually be developed into national team players but they lack exposure.

“They also want to play Premiership football but they don’t have the chance.

“People don’t think about them.”

Muzadzi is now a rural football development ambassador.

“I know the challenges they face in the rural areas, and I think we must be serious about rural football development.

“People concentrate on cities and towns and forget that Zimbabwe is big.

There are talented players in farming areas, in the mines and elsewhere.