Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo-Zimpapers Sports Hub
TONDERAI NDIRAYA believes that the exposure he is getting from Spanish La Liga side Villarreal will not only help him when he takes charge of his new Premier Soccer League club Chicken Inn this year but will transform him into a better professional.
The reigning Castle Lager Coach of the Year, who bagged the prize in historical fashion after leading newbies Scottland to the league title last year, is in Spain on a 10-day internship with the Yellow Submarines along with another coach Zetie Sibanda.
The trip marks the first step in the coming of the former UEFA Europa League side, whose satellite academy will be launched in Zimbabwe in the coming months. This follows an agreement between the club and a Zimbabwean sports consultancy, Athletes Sphere Global.
Athletes Sphere Global president Gerald Sibanda, who also brought Real Betis Academy to Zimbabwe five years ago, was recently in Spain where he met the Villarreal management, who reportedly agreed to work together with him including setting up their affiliate academy in this country.
The first step to the collaboration was to send those who would be involved in the technical running of the Villarreal Academy in Zimbabwe, upon which Ndiraya and Sibanda, the coaches were seconded.
In a statement, Athletes Sphere Global said; “Our president Gerald Sibanda warms up to his recent visit to Spain and the exciting new projects with the Yellow Submarine for Zimbabwe, our African Region, he was welcomed by International Department Director Brandon Paramo and Villarreal officials at the Estadio La Ceramica.
“We are delighted to confirm our newest affiliate and regional club partner to the Athletes Sphere Global Group, our new project with one of La Liga’s top European clubs, Villarreal Club Football, a club full of heritage and success in Spain and in the European club competitions, recently UEFA Champions League semi-finalists in 2022 and UEFA Europa League winners in 2021.
“Our key projects will focus on football development and pathways for our players, technical and cultural exchange programmes, as well as promoting sports tourism activities in our continent, Zimbabwe, Spain and the global foot-ball-loving communities that will develop Zimbabwe, Africa and its people.
“Premier Soccer League champion coach Tonderai Ndiraya and our Academy head coach Zetie Sibanda are currently having their attachment at Villarreal CF for their technical development ahead of the 2026 calendar year.
“Coach Ndiraya will return to join Premier League club Chicken Inn Football, while Coach Zetie will lead our Academy players together with Villarreal officials.”
Ndiraya has described the experience as “eye-opening”, six years after having had another tour at KV Mechelen in Belgium, which was facilitated by his then club, Dynamos. Back then, the Glamour Boys had a twinning arrangement with the Belgian top-flight side, with the latter providing some training equipment to Dynamos while winger Bill Antonio moved from DeMbare to KV Mechelen as part of the deal. He started off in the junior side but is now flourishing for the senior team and has subsequently established himself as a regular member of the Warriors, having played at the Africa Cup of Nations where Zimbabwe were booted out in the group phase in Morocco last month.
Ndiraya will be hoping to see the exposure he is having come in handy to help him in his new assignment at Chicken Inn.
The former Simba Bhora and Ngezi Platinum Stars coach made history last year after becoming the first coach to win back-to-back Premiership titles with different teams.
He had landed the championship with Simba Bhora in 2024. While the visit is yet another feather in Ndiraya’s cap, the bigger picture remains the coming of Villarreal into the country. “We are absolutely delighted with this move. We have engaged Villarreal, and very soon we will be launching the academy in this country. “The good thing about it is that Villarreal will be absorbing our players into their system in Spain. We are very happy about that development,” added Sibanda.
Sibanda’s Real Betis Academy has produced players, including Ngezi’s Tanaka Munemo, who are now playing in the elite leagues.
dyton mupawaenda