Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, [email protected]
THE Premier Soccer League, touched by the plight of former players, has set its sights on helping active footballers prepare for life after their playing careers.
Rodwell Thabe, the PSL chief executive officer, who was in Bulawayo for the Chicken Inn sponsorship and kit launch on Monday, emphasised the need for players to invest in education and long term personal development.
He cited Clemence Matawu, the Chicken Inn manager, as an example of someone who successfully balanced football and academic advancement. Matawu is a degree holder from the National University of Science and Technology and is now pursuing another academic programme in sports administration.
However, speaking on Tuesday at another event, Thabe said not all players can transition into football administration after retirement, while others may prefer coaching.
He said the Premier Soccer League intends to act as an intermediary between the players, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) and the Footballers union of Zimbabwe (FUZ) to ensure that active and former players access coaching education.
“So in issues of self-advancement for current and former footballers, we are thinking of approaching the FA so that we can act as a go between the players and the Footballers union of Zimbabwe, so that we tailor make courses to suit them,” said Thabe.
He noted that footballers spend most of their time training and competing and therefore cannot be expected to match academic work schedules that span from 8AM to 5PM. “The course would have to be specific in content with 75 percent practical and 25 percent theory,” said Thabe.
He stressed that preparing players for the future must begin while they are still active, with assistance from clubs, the Footballers union of Zimbabwe and Zifa, to ensure they acquire relevant qualifications.
“Our players go into retirement without preparing for the future. We are touched by their plight as they do not portray a positive image for those at entry level of the game. That should change with what we want to do with Zifa and the Footballers union of Zimbabwe,” said Thabe.
Historically, mines and uniformed services clubs were known for supporting players beyond their playing days by offering them employment. Some trained players as skilled workers, while others provided clerical positions.
Two decades ago, Zimbabwe Saints, recognising they could no longer compete financially with other clubs, sent their players for courses at Westgate Training Centre.
Among them was Alex Matamba, who now runs an electrical contracting company in Germiston, South Africa, using the skills gained during that period.
The Zimbabwe coaching syllabus focuses entirely on football and does not cover life skills or career development outside the pitch, leaving many former players vulnerable and at risk of falling into destructive behaviours after retirement.
Having been in football administration for a number of years I can speak with authority about the pitfalls football players and former players encounter. First we should acknowledge that these people are mature and have a clear vision of what life will look like after their playing days are over. The problem lies in what society has defined sport as. Society has made sport look like a hero or celebrity creating environment rather than a career with a very short span. We must desist from treating our sports people as cult heroes. That treatment easily gets into these people and they forget that this is just temporary. Their sun will set finally. We can help these people by making them see that they are no different from the security guard who rides his bicycle every day to and from work. Football players are no heroes. They are mere mortals who ultimately will age and die. Let them know that from the onset and they will map their own destiny. They don’t need to be hand-held.