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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
ZIFA have thrown their weight behind one of the leading football nurseries in the country, Legends Academy, who have entered into a high-profile partnership with English Premier League side Everton.
The academy has become the first from this part of Africa to join Everton’s International Academy Affiliate Programme (EIAAP), which aims to expand the knowledge and expertise of Everton’s player development processes to affiliated clubs at all tiers of the game across the world.
So significant is the partnership that Everton’s England national team goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has come out publicly hailing the partnership with the Zimbabwean academy.
And, ZIFA yesterday congratulated the Farai Dhliwayo-founded project.
ZIFA acting chief executive officer Xolisani Gwesela said the partnership will benefit Zimbabwean football in general.
“Let me begin by congratulating Farai Dhliwayo and his academy for forging this partnership.
“Everton is a very big team and it’s a brand which is well-known in the world. And for a Zimbabwean nursery to have been able to put together a relationship with such a big name is something special,” said Gwesela.
“Legends Academy is one of the best and most professionally-run development projects in the country. I have no doubt that their relationship with Everton will go a long way in the development of football in Zimbabwe.
“The partnership is an endorsement of the professionalism with which Legends Academy is being run. It’s a vote of confidence not just for the academy but for Zimbabwean football in general”. The Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe, who hold at least three extraordinary sports leadership workshops every year, through their president Russel Maradza Mhiribidi, echoed the same sentiments.
“This partnership between Legends Academy and Everton is the hallmark of international sports best practice. “It puts Zimbabwe on the football development world map. Legends Academy is doing a very good job in trying to develop talent in the country,” said Mhiribidi. “Look, if we are to do well in sport, we need structured development and these synergies are the way to go. Moreso partnering with a team of Everton’s stature.
“We always emphasise on the need to do sport well in order to do well in sport. I think Legends Academy stands to benefit a lot and the country will also reap the rewards of this magnificent partnership.
“We wish to see more and more academies, not only in football, coming up like this for the sake of sports development in this country”.
The partnership will see Legends Academy players getting access to expert knowledge from the English team.
Online Reporter