adminNgqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
THE Premier Soccer League will next season introduce an Under-19 league as they bid to enhance junior development in the country. Confirming the development, PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele said they were mapping out final modalities of the league which will kick off in the 2016 football season. Ndebele said the PSL felt the league would not only come in handy in grooming budding talent, but was also an extension of the earlier rule that top flight clubs register five Under-19 players in their squads.
However, Ndebele said the move was subject to approval by the PSL Board although they were already hard at work to ensure the project became a reality.
“We have set the ball rolling and are engaging various people while mapping out the league and talking to possible sponsors while the rules are also still being set. The PSL board of governors will have the final say but we are talking to companies and hope the move will bear fruit,’’ said Ndebele.
“While most clubs have junior teams that play in various leagues in different parts of the country we believe a developmental league exclusively for PSL teams will prove crucial in the development of players.”
Ndebele said clubs have accumulated huge debts acquiring players adding the proposed league could provide clubs with ready talent at a lower cost.
Asked on whether the Under-19 players registered with the club will be able to feature for the senior teams in the Premiership, Ndebele said the rules were still being worked on but he saw that as a possibility.
Several young players have emerged through the PSL’s junior quota system. These include the former FC Platinum duo of Wisdom Mutasa and Walter Musona who began flirting with the Premiership in their teens at the the now defunct Motor Action, Dynamos’ goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva, Highlanders’ Knox Mutizwa, How Mine’s Bernard Donovan, formerly with Motor Action.
Dynamos’ Blessing Moyo also made his entry through the juniors’ slot while former Caps united left back Ronald Pfumbidzayi, who now turns out for Danish side Hobro IK was part of the Green Machine’s developmental players in 2013 alongside Takudwa Mahori.
Teenage striker, Thomas Chideu, who now turns out for South Africa’s Ajax Cape Town was registered at the beginning of the year as part of Highlanders juniors’ quota.
Ndebele said they were taking a leaf from South Africa Absa Premiership that introduced the Multichoice Diski Challenge, a youth developmental programme, whose main component is a football competition involving South African PSL clubs.
The Barclays Premiership in England also has an Under-21 league that allows teams to groom players and prepare them for the topflight.
Online Reporter