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Nonetheless, you cannot take anything away from the great idea and execution by Benjani. It takes a lot of courage to convince all the African and European players who came to Harare to agree to come down and share with you some life memories. The football fans also came in numbers to bid farewell to their former Warriors captain and when you look at the idea and match itself, which was curtain raised by legends from the Southern Region and Northern Region, you get a warm feeling.
However, it is the power of politics at play that threaten to taint an otherwise great idea, as the Zifa board has castigated Benjani for bringing on board people fingered in match-fixing. Moreover, they are concerned that some money could have gone unaccounted for, but to those who follow local football closely know that Benjani unwittingly got himself entangled in power politics, which was just unfortunate and hopefully, the presence of “football sinners” in his midst would not give him a bad name to the powers that be in Zimbabwean football.
I say this because when you are preparing for your life after playing football, you don’t want to involve yourself in unnecessary fights, especially with office bearers, or anyone for that matter, because you don’t know whose office you will knock at next while pursuing another passion outside the field of play. When there are some elements that are on sitting on the edge of being thrown into the football wilderness, you ought to know how to play your cards — and close to your chest they should be.
So much about the sermon. I was touched during the week when I went through an article that explained sweeping changes in English football. The changes are to be implemented as from 2014 and will involve junior teams. The guys want to develop their own Lionel Messi, and they think the way juniors are being trained is not good enough.
If you look at how Zimbabwean juniors are trained, it’s more or less the same way that senior players are trained.
They use the same match balls, the same size of pitch and the same log standings system. The experts in England, where the game started, believe that kind of approach gives too much pressure on the kids and it confines their talent. It’s more result oriented than talent exhibition oriented. Why should Under-13s be worried about being number last or number one on the log? They should just enjoy the game.
According to The Sun in the UK, plans to overhaul youth football in England have been given the green light by FA shareholders. A whopping 87 percent of the 778 votes cast backed proposals which will see youngsters playing in smaller-sided games.
Children will also use smaller pitches and goals with an emphasis placed on learning skills rather than winning matches. Nick Levett, national development manager, said: “These changes are a massive step forward for the future of children’s football in this country. This is about grassroots football but also a 15 to 20-year programme for long-term player development, ultimately to help produce players to support the professional game and England team. It will mean more touches, more shots and more dribbles for young players and therefore improving the kids’ technique.”
Levett admitted there would need to be an education process to stop parents and coaches enforcing a win at all costs attitude for youth football.
He added: “We want less pressure on kids. There needs to be a climate change — this is kids football not the World Cup final.”
FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking said the vote was “as important as anything that will happen this summer. The Euros are about the here and now — this vote is about the future.”
The changes will be phased in for the 2013-14 season and will see five-a-side matches for seven and eight-year-olds, seven-a side-games for nine and 10-year-olds and nine-a-side clashes for 11 and 12-year-olds.
Full 11-a-side matches will only take place between those children aged 13 or over. The plans also mean under-12 teams will no longer have their league tables published.
There will also be a move towards a six-week rotational “tournament” style system, matching skill levels so that kids can enjoy the game more.
Non-competitive matches will also be encouraged and children will play on pitches and use equipment appropriate to their size, rather than using full-size goals and surfaces.
From 2014, no child will play 11-a-side football until Under 13 level, Under 7 and Under 8s will play 5 v 5, Under 9s and Under 10s will play 7 v 7, Under 11s and Under 12s will play 9 v 9.
There will be no league tables before Under 12 level, with younger kids contesting cup competitions over shorter periods and at festivals.
It’s a pity local football leaders are always occupied with the politics of the game, but once everything has been said and done, one would want to believe they will sit down and also look at ways to improve junior football so that quality players are produced.
You watch some Division One and Premier League teams and laugh at times because some players just lack the basics of football, simply because coaches emphasised winning—pumping the ball forward and getting goals.
We certainly have to follow international trends if we are to compete with the best and some of the new ideas do not need money, which has always been the biggest challenge to our football.
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