Two Zim teens for UK football trials

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
TWO Zimbabwean teenage footballers have been presented with a perfect platform to break into European professional leagues after they were picked for a two-week training camp with an internationally-acclaimed academy, Football CV, in the United Kingdom.

The global camp, which has attracted players from most European countries and other continents, opens on August 13 and a bumper number of scouts are expected at the trial jamboree.

And 16-year-old agile left-back Munashe David Chakuchichi of Lomagundi College as well as Guinea Fowl High School’s attacker Elson Mweha (17) should be fancying their chances of being noticed at the fiesta. The duo was selected by the UK-based academy’s head coach, Grant Brown, who was in the country for a week-long training clinic with Bheki Nyoni’s BN Academy as part of the two institutions’ exchange programmes last week. The British mentor was impressed by the Zimbabwean players and provisionally selected the pair of Chakuchichi and Mweha and is expected to call even more players in the near future.

During his stay in the country, Brown had an opportunity to watch the Harare Derby between Dynamos and CAPS United and another thriller between Highlanders and Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table-toppers Ngezi Platinum Stars.

Chakuchichi and Mweha are sponsored to the tune of over $2 000 for their trip to the United Kingdom in August.

“Basically, by bringing these professional coaches, we are trying to expose these youngsters to the modern trends in football training,’’ said Nyoni.

“It’s our hope as BN Academy to see these young players breaking into the professional leagues.

“At the end of the day, this is what we all want to see happening to the young stars. They work hard enough but sometimes they could not get the type of exposure which is enough to take them to the other level. What we wish is to see the players doing great and see doors open for career advancement. We entered into a marriage with Football CV Academy and these are the fruits.’’

During the caching clinic, Brown was assisted by local coaches Tinashe Nengomasha, Laban Kandi, Steve Chikodzi, Philemon Kutyakureva, Mike Madzivanyika and Antony Vheriwa.