Online Reporter
Fungai Muderere, [email protected]
ZIFA have stopped sending junior national teams to international events to fulfil fixture obligations to pave way for a reboot.
This came to light yesterday when the men’s Under-20 side was not in the hat for the Cosafa draw for the competition to be hosted by Mauritius.
Zifa said they had taken “a deliberate strategic decision regarding participation by our junior national teams in international competitions”.
“Our approach is no longer simply to fulfil fixtures or enter tournaments for the sake of participation. We want every national team that represents Zimbabwe to do so with adequate preparation, a properly identified player pool and a clear technical programme,” said Zifa in a statement.
“The decision regarding the Young Warriors’ participation in the upcoming tournament in Mauritius must therefore be understood within this broader approach and Zifa’s Dream2030 strategy.”
Zifa said they were involved in strengthening the development pathway that will feed junior national teams.
This entails putting in place a structured scouting system that identifies players through competitions and development programmes such as the BancABC Roots Impact Programme and the Zifa Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.
“These platforms are giving young players meaningful competitive football while allowing our technical structures to identify and track talent across the country,” Zifa said.
Zifa also disclosed the imminent appointment of national team coaches across the various age groups. “This will ensure that each team has dedicated technical leadership responsible for scouting, player development, selection and preparation well ahead of international assignments.
Our objective is to move away from assembling teams at short notice simply because a fixture or tournament is on the calendar. When Zimbabwe sends a junior national team into competition, we want that team to be properly selected, adequately prepared and genuinely competitive.
“This is a long-term process, but it is an important part of building the player pathway envisioned under Dream2030. The ultimate objective is to develop generations of players who progress systematically through our junior national teams and are ultimately equipped to compete for places in the senior national team.”
While the region’s young stars prepare to battle for a place at the continental finals in Ghana, Zimbabwe will be watching from the sidelines.
The Cosafa draw, conducted yesterday ahead of the tournament in Mauritius, produced three groups.
Group A will see hosts Mauritius battle Namibia, Seychelles and Mozambique, while Group B brings together regional heavyweights South Africa, Lesotho, Angola and Eswatini.
Group C features Zambia, Malawi, Comoros and Botswana.
And then there is no Zimbabwe.
For a country that has traditionally prided itself in producing talented young footballers, the absence of the Young Warriors could be a bitter pill to swallow.
For some, the Cosafa tournament can be the first major step towards a professional career.
Zimbabwe’s youngsters have now lost that opportunity. The timing could hardly be more unfortunate.
The senior Warriors are also entering an important period, with the 2027 Afcon qualifying campaign approaching. A healthy junior national team programme would provide a pipeline of players capable of stepping into the senior setup in the years ahead.
The Full Draw
Group A
Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles, Mozambique
Group B
South Africa, Lesotho, Angola, Eswatini
Group C
Zambia, Malawi, Comoros, Botswana. — @FungaiMuderere.
