Chronicle EditorFungai Muderere, Senior Sports Reporter
ORGANISERS of the Marvelous Nakamba Foundation (MNF) Invitational Under-17 tournament to be held at White City Stadium in Bulawayo tomorrow and Sunday have revealed that there will be no prizes for participating teams.
Highlanders, Njube Spurs, Dynamos, Hwange Dynamo, Majesa Academy, Chicken Inn, Bulawayo City, Hwange Academy and Ajax Hotspurs will take part in the inaugural tournament.
“There will be no prizes for the participating teams, but there will be lots of surprises.
We saw it prudent not to put these budding stars under pressure.
They need to enjoy their game after being invited to take part from a large pool of junior teams around the country.
It’s a tournament meant to create memories for the youngsters and at the end of the day everyone should come out as a winner,” said tournament director Nduduzo Sibanda.
Highlanders were drawn in the same group as Njube Spurs, Dynamos and Majesa Academy while the other group has Chicken Inn, Bulawayo City, Ajax Hotspurs as well as Hwange Dynamo.
Nakamba, an Aston Villa midfielder, underscored the importance of grassroots football.
“It’s thrilling that after all the waiting, finally the time is here for our youngsters to get to enjoy the same privileges that even people like us went through in junior academies before.
Grassroots football is a very important part of the survival of football; we have all come through the system, being afforded chances at an early stage and it’s befitting that we continue the tradition of supporting grassroots sports.
“We accept the approval from the custodians of football and it’s our hope that this tournament will raise the curtain to the commencement of junior football in the country.
This will be a stepping stone to a Covid-compliant football era,” the Zimbabwe international said.
In a bid to create synergies for his foundation, Nakamba took part in the Mashwede Marathon in Harare where he reckoned that if he can still run a marathon, then the Under-17 boys should be able to light up the weekend contest.
Nakamba partnered Unicef in raising awareness against child marriages, and hence his guest appearance at the inaugural Mashwede Holdings Road Race. — @FungaiMuderere
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter