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FORMER Warriors kingpin, Gilbert Mushangazhike, has joined forces with Toronto-based former Caps United defender, Darlington Choto to scout for talent in Manicaland in an exploration that will see exceptionally talented youngsters sharpening their prowess in Canada and Germany.
Mushangazhike, a former Orlando Pirates striker, now holds a CAF Level C coaching licence, and has demonstrated his talent nurturance by becoming the personal trainer of his sons, Basler, who is with Juventus — an Italian project in Durban — and Sizzla, who is at Stella Academy.
On the other hand, Choto has teamed up with France 1998 FIFA World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane in junior football development in Canada, where he coaches an Under-18 team.
The organiser of the coaching clinic, Simba Msindo, said the selection process would be held at Vengere Stadium in Rusape on August 20 at a cost of $6 per player.
Msindo, the son of former Fire Batteries owner Lovemore Gijima Msindo, said the clinic targeted at least 200 players aged between seven and 17. Msindo said four other coaches would be working with Mushangazhike.
“We are working on a project with Gilbert Mushangazhike and Darlington Choto to identify and export exceptionally talented youngsters to Canada and Germany to sharpen their playing skills. Choto is the contact person in Europe where he is already involved in the development of junior football.
“Mushangazhike is heading the local technical side since he is a holder of CAF Level C certificate,” said Msindo whose father, Gijima, nurtured and exported Mushangazhike.
The Weekender has had access to correspondence involving Choto, Msindo and Mushangazhike where Choto reckoned that junior football in Zimbabwe needed a complete overhaul.
Choto argues that great players are made up from junior football.
“Junior football policy made great players. Teams won because there was an environment of togetherness, unity, responsibility and accountability from early stages among the players.
“I want to plough back to that community, which nurtured my soccer career by assisting youths who want to play abroad with scholarships and setting them up with clubs.
“Gilbert was a great player and I am happy to be working with him in this development work meant to turn our own young players into great footballers,” said Choto, who is on the verge of acquiring a B Licence that will allow him to coach in the Canadian Soccer League (CSL) and the Major soccer League (MLS) in the USA. Msindo said the focus on Manicaland was out of the realisation that the province, apart from having plenty raw talent, was lagging behind in tapping and exporting it.
“How many players from Manicaland have made it to Europe?
“Does that mean Manicaland has no talent that can make the grade?
“We have realised that there are no structures and we are here to bridge that gap.
“We want to see more players, especially from Manicaland, moving abroad so that they improve the standard of our national team,” explained Msindo.
Choto is also willing to work in Brazil and Spain as he regards their football mother bodies to be excellent. Choto began his Caps United career with the Under-16 team in 1980.
He graduated to the reserve team in 1984. He played for the first team between 1986 and 1987, before he was loaned out to Darryn T in 1988.
At Darryn T, he played with the now late Gift Mpariwa, Takesure Maverengo, Ian Mharapara, James Matora and Joseph Tembo before returning to Makepekepe to assist Freddy Mkwesha as a player scout.
He won a few trophies with Caps and as part of the Blackpool technical department with Shacky Tauro and Joel Shambo (both late) as a reserve team coach.
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