Sadomba endorses Jadel Football Academy tourney

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

FORMER Warriors and Dynamos striker Edward “Duduza” Sadomba says more grassroots football tournaments can help unearth more raw diamonds.

A product of a vibrant junior policy himself, having graduated from Harare United, Sadomba knows the importance of development in football.

He was speaking on Tuesday at a local hotel at the launch of the Jadel Football Academy Under-17 Invitational Cup tournament which is set to be held today at Prince Edward School.

The annual jamboree is making a return after a two-year freeze due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The inaugural edition that remains the only one to have been staged was first held in December 2019.

It is the brainchild of former Motor Action player Walter “Ringers” Musanhu who is based in China where he runs a booming football nursery, Jadel Football Academy.

A Zimbabwean branch of the same academy has since been opened and will headline today’s tournament which has nine other participants.

And Sadomba spoke glowingly about the development showdown when presiding over the launch on Tuesday night at Holiday Inn Hotel.

“There is no prize for guessing what it means for football to have such a massive initiative like the Jadel Football Academy tournament which takes place at Prince Edward School on Thursday (today),” said Sadomba.

“Development is key and it’s always important to catch these youngsters at a tender age so that they grow up with the right ethos.

“I would like to salute Walter Musanhu for coming up with a tournament of this magnitude.

“This is what we need as a country, this is the direction we are supposed to be taking as a country. We need to give these youngsters a chance to showcase themselves in a competitive environment and help them grow into proper players.

“Zimbabwe is full of talent and we need to nurture that talent.

“The more we have these tournaments, the more we are likely to see more talented players graduating into professional structures.

“This is a development tournament where results shouldn’t be a priority. We should thrive to do sport well and avoid age-cheating just to get a short-term result.”

The tournament has also received some support from former Dynamos defence stalwart Chamu Musanhu, who is the brother of the event’s organiser, Walter.

Chamu is currently based in Liverpool, England.

Today’s tournament kicks-off at 8:30am and there will be prizes for the winners, including for outstanding individuals.

Meanwhile, Musanhu has been honoured for the development work he is doing in China.

He bagged two awards, the Youth Development and Corporate Development gongs, in the annual Pride of Africa Asia Pacific awards.

Musanhu was an elated lot after bagging those prizes.

“I am humbled to receive awards for doing what I love the most,” Musanhu said.

“It’s an honour for me and my academy. I am grateful for everyone who continues to support this project.”

Jadel Football Academy Invitational Cup Tournament

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