Northern Region brace for football return

Don Makanyanga

Sports Reporter

AS they have often done during successive lockdown spells, the ZIFA Northern Region board have not folded their arms in despair, but have been finding ways to keep football interest alive in their constituency.

Amid calls for football return, which have been gathering momentum with each passing day, the Northern Region board at the weekend embarked on a regional tour to assess the readiness of clubs for the safe return of the game.

Northern Region board chairman, Martin Kweza whose leadership has been tying up corporate partnership deals on behalf of Division 1 clubs, told The Sunday Mail Sport that his board was ready for the resumption of football, having already acquired sponsorship for the upcoming season.

“As a board, we have done our part to prepare for football resumption. We have already managed to secure sponsorship for the league, Coach of the Month, Player of the Month, Goalkeeper of the Month and Top goal scorer of the Month,” Kweza said.

He said everything was now in place, with fixtures for the upcoming season having already been drafted.

“Fixtures have already been drafted, all we await is the green light for football resumption, all is now in place. We are doing a regional tour to gauge the preparedness of the clubs for the resumption of football while we also acquaint ourselves with the facilities within our region.

“This reason we are conducting this tour is that we do not want our clubs to be caught unawares when the authorities give a green light for the resumption of football, hence we are propping our clubs,” said the chairman.

Kweza added that the tour will be used to help the clubs to put up structures that conform to the Covid-19 health protocols.

“We would like to work with clubs and recommend what ought to be done in line with the standing regulations pertaining to the required standards while we also assess the security features and setting up guidelines on proposed Covid-19 protocols and map a way forward together with the clubs,” he said.

Kweza revealed that his board was close to clinching a sponsorship deal for a junior’s league and a knock-out tournament.