Team Zim UK Under-17 set for country tour

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
TEAM Zimbabwe UK chief executive, Marshall Gore, has revealed that they are considering to have their Under-17 football team tour the country next year. Team Zimbabwe UK Project is run by Zimbabweans based in the UK and they have been identifying and scouting for talent in the Diaspora with the aim of creating a platform for the youngsters to get the opportunity to return home and play for the national teams.

The team was crowned the 2016 African Cup of Nations (UK) champions in June. Gore, who also has interests in boxing, said there are considerations to have their Under-17 football team come to Zimbabwe next year in an effort to showcase the team to local stakeholders.

“Obviously the main project that we are doing is the Team Zimbabwe UK Project. On that one we are mobilising Zimbabwean football players from the Diaspora and scouting for talented players grouping them into a national team like a development squad especially the Under-17s.

“So we got our Under-17 team that we built last year, they actually participated in the African Nations Cup UK tournament and they won the tournament. It’s the first time a team from Southern Africa has actually won the tournament. They beat Morocco to win it.

“So what we are looking at now is to have them to come on a tour to Zimbabwe next year so that the local football stakeholders here can see the good work that we are doing,” said Gore. Gore said they are also hoping to engage ZIFA in an ambitious project that will see some of the players returning home to play for the national teams.

“In terms of the bigger picture we will have a discussion with ZIFA and request to have kind of a quota system where some of our players that are coming from the Diaspora should be given the opportunity to also be included in our national team here.

“The talented ones, not just by the virtue that they are coming from the Diaspora but those that are talented. I am due to meet Dr (Philip) Chiyangwa this week, obviously he was out of the country so I have got a scheduled appointment with him end of this week,” Gore said.

Besides football they have just started going into other disciplines such boxing, rugby and tennis. “Obviously football is our main niche at the moment but on a broader perspective we are also scouting talent from other sporting disciplines and introducing them to sports organisation here. So that equates to rugby, tennis and everything,” said Gore.