adminLovemore Dube Off the ball
THE Soccerex African Forum that ended in Durban on Wednesday evening was a must attend for all serious soccer people from this country in order to unlock the commercial component of the sport and appreciate better administrative trends obtaining around the globe.
Thanks to Supersport whose coming on board in Zimbabwe football has promised a lot for the future. With my former deputy at Chronicle, Wellington Toni, now with a daily in Harare, we were sponsored to attend the event which attracted Africa’s Who is Who in the Game.
Sadly for Zimbabwean football only Kennedy Ndebele, the already knowledgeable PSL chief executive officer, was the only administrator in attendance yet because of the high blundering in the management of the sport at all levels in this country, one would have expected bigger numbers.
Mbada Diamonds Cup chairman young Tafadzwa Chiremba and organising secretary Charity Moyo were there too.
Association heads even those that have been more successful in the continent like Ghana and South Africa found it wise to be at an event that has been running for 18 years in five countries.
Ministers of Sport from Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia were there too despite being more successes on the international scale to share and to learn from their experiences.
It was a mind enriching opportunity for anyone with the passion of the game to be at and learn from those that have been better exposed or more successful. Most appreciatably was an opportunity to share experiences and try to turn negativity into a strong tool for the enhancement of bran soccer for the future.
Even those that have been there were eager to listen, take note, make a recommendation and pray for a better future for a game billions across the globe love.
Below are the topics and discussants:
Africa’s First International Football Academy (Danny Jordaan – Safa president, Paulo Cardoso – Academy Technical Director, David Broomhall – Head of logistics and operations –IEC International Football Events, Nomvuzo Tshabalala – Deputy Mayor, Durban)
Sport and Government (Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah – Minister of Youth and Sport – Ghana), Chishimba Kambwili (Zambia Minister of Youth and Sport), Mallam Bolaji Abdullah – Minister of Sport)
Broadcasting Africa’s Game (Alvin Naicker – Supersport Head of Production, Max Chinungwe Supersport Production Unit)
League Commercialisation (Brand de Villiers – Absa Premiership chief executive officer, Jack Oguda – CEO Kenyan Premier League, Saer Seck – Senegalese Football League, Seyi Akinwunmi – board member Nigeria Football League Management Company)
Commitment, Resolve and Passion: The Building Blocks for Success (Refiloe Jane – Mamelodi Sundowns player, Johnny McKinstry – Sieraa Leone national team manager, Joseph-Antoine Bell – Cameroon legendary goalkeeper)
Supersport Workshop: Managing Your Sports Brand (Nomsa Mazibuko – Supersport International Head of Marketing)
Regional Development Seminar: Managing Municipal Owned Sports Facilities and Win Win Lease Agreements (Greg Fredericks, general manager 2010 Fifa World Cup Legacy Trust, Vusi Mazibuko, Stadium manager Moses Mabhida Stadium)
Programme Delivery (Chief executive officer Safa Development Agency, Tim Vine, Head of Public Affairs, English Premiership)
Barnes on the Beautiful Game (John Barnes Liverpool/England legend)
Afcon and 2014 Chan Preview (Hicham El Amrani, secretary-general)
Media Management in Football (Koketso Gaofetoge, Head of Media, Supersport United).
These were just among the many enriching subjects discussed.
There were also exhibitions by equipment manufacturers that made the workshop an all in one event that could go a long way in improving football standards in the continent.
Most of the speakers gave well detailed and frank opinions as it was a no holds barred get together. One of the topics that I was so keen on was the Media Management in Football. So many times I have with colleagues felt like we are being treated unfairly.
As we went through the presentation I wished the bullish Bulawayo City Council security guards, the out of touch How Mine gate marshals, officials and sponsors from back home were in attendance.
We are as media partners in sport and this great game. Our expertise is needed to get the message and company’s visibility and that of its products or good- will to masses that they would not ordinarily get to be in touch with easily.
We are there to be the eyes and ears of society, playing a watchdog role, praising where recognition is deserved and equally criticising with a view to a better tomorrow for all in sport and human kind.
There is no sane journalist that wakes up to tarnish the image of any administrator or institution but it is bad practice by office bearers that attracts the ire of the media.
More such get togethers can get soccer on its feet and growing in the continent’s all corners. South Africa’s thrust towards success in the future was well spelt. It is a model worth emulating in a way adaptable to our situation.
They are constructing a R70 million academy in KwaZulu, an initiative of Safa and the Durban Municipality and KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Government with overseas partners.
It will be a centre of national football development for age-group teams from Under-13 with the other nine provinces having such structures too. It is envisaged that the country’s 341 associations will have Under-13 and Under-15 boys and girls teams in all of those and a target of up to 150 000 highly qualified coaches as part of the 2022 Vision.
South Africa’s aim is simple. They want to be consistently among the top three nations in all age groups and a world top 20 country.
In that way they are sure they will always qualify for the Afcon finals and World Cup and some day win it.
Success, they are resolved, is not an accident but a carefully worked programme with a lot of investment in development with a shared vision by all stakeholders.
There is never a short cut to success and Zimbabwe can take a leaf from that and invest more in junior grassroots development.
It is not just putting money but laying a foundation with finance and the proper human investment and well laid down programmes.
Marketing, sound and transparent management styles are key to the future of the game.
Meaningful lease agreements that favour clubs, development and provision of amenities to residents is what is required and if clubs could have control of stadia they would be better empowered to face the future.
At present clubs are at the mercy of local authorities who charge exorbitant rates of up to 20 percent. Club licensing, the latest word in the Zimbabwe soccer vocabulary, is an important tool for the future of the game. Clubs that are not licensed should kiss Africa good bye next season as they will not be allowed to play.
Zifa and the PSL have been in the forefront of this and clubs should take the matter seriously though a bit of panel beating here and there on the envisaged position could see better compliance as our African set up is not the ideal world as it is faced with its own unique challenges.
Zimbabwe can do more of such workshops suited for the local environment and I have no doubt football would be the winner.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu