Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo in BEIJING, China
ZIFA president Nqobile Magwizi said Jadel Football Academy is fast becoming a standard-bearer in giving kids international exposure.
Jadel received a pat on the back from ZIFA, a day before the Mbare-based nursery take to the field at the start of the two-week 100 Teams Cup tournament here.
It is the fourth time on the bounce that Jadel will be featuring at the football festival.
Nine Zimbabwean players will fuse with their colleagues from the academy headquarters in China as they fight to defend their badge. And Magwizi cannot help, but marvel at the depth and scope of the arrangement, made by founder Walter “Ringers” Musanhu, who played professional football for Motor Action and the Young Warriors.
Musanhu, who is based in China, started the academy in Beijing seven years ago before establishing yet another one back home.
Since then, Jadel have grown from strength to strength and won some plaudits, getting endorsement from both the Governor and the general football fraternity, given the way they are promoting international exposure for the kids.
“As ZIFA, we are fully behind projects like the Jadel Football Academy because we are development-oriented,” said Magwizi.
“We fully understand that everything should start right from the grassroots, follow a systematic pathway until we can have a Warrior or a Mighty Warrior.
“This is exactly the way Jadel Football Academy is doing its business. They are simply complementing our efforts as ZIFA to nurture talent and polish it up.
“As you maybe already aware, we are running our own grassroots programme, the ZIFA BancABC Grassroots Impact, which academies like Jadel are fully in support of.
“In fact, we have seen players from Jadel Academy flourishing during this BancABC Roots Impact tournament.
“That should give you a proper picture of what I mean when I say we should hail projects like Jadel FA.
“Currently, they have taken the youngsters to China for a famous annual tournament there.
“That’s the kind of exposure we always want to see our young players getting used to.
“I would like to take this opportunity to salute them for playing a huge role in supporting our vision as ZIFA.”
Out of their squad on tour, two of them are playing for Harare Province in the BancABC Roots Impact tournament.
Sean Pesani and Malcom Dinyero are two of the most outstanding players doing duty for Harare Province, and the duo is expected to lead from the front as Jadel seek to win the 100 Team Cup for the second time in four years.
The Zimbabweans won it in 2024 but found the going tough last year after first participating and winning the Thai-woo Cup.
This time around, they didn’t play in the Thaiwoo Cup as they sought to fully concentrate on the 100 Team Cup.
“I am happy with how the players have acclimatised to conditions in China.
“They are blending in well with their Chinese colleagues, and I am confident we will win.
“But I should say I am really humbled by the amount of support that we are receiving from Zimbabwe, right from the Government, the Sports and Recreation Commission, and ZIFA.
“This kind of support can only help spur us on as we seek to help the Zimbabwe Warriors and Mighty Warriors qualify for the World Cup.
“We have been running with our vision, which is to see this age group qualify for the 2034 World Cup,” Musanhu said.
