admin Raymond Jaravaza
THE Zifa Southern Region is gearing up for the 2016 season as clubs have started the process of player registration as well as preparing for an Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for 5 March.
The AGM, comprising club representatives and the league executive, will deliberate on the date for the commencement of the season.
a�?We have sent notices to clubs to start registering players, be it players that are already in their books, new players that have been acquired from other teams or promoted from junior structures. Ita��s important for clubs to register players as early as possible to avoid delays and squabbles over issues such as player transfer when the league kicks off. The AGM will come up with a date for the start of the season,a�? said league chairman Musa Mandaza.
The season is most likely to start at the end of March.
Each club is required to register a total of 30 players, five of which must be under the age of 23, a move meant to compel clubs to promote players from their junior structures.
Highlanders Academy, one of the five new teams to join the league this season have already made it clear that players under the age of 23 will make up the bulk of the team to take part in the Southern Region league.
The team will be coached by former Bosso assistant coach Melusi Mabaleka Sibanda whose task is to feed the Highlanders senior team with young players.
Talen Vision, Zimbabwe Republic Police (Bulawayo Province), Victoria Falls Tigers and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (Matabeleland North Province) are the other new teams to join the league.
Teams to look out for in the run up to the title championship, a ticket that guarantees a place in the Premier Soccer League, are last season runners up Bulawayo Chiefs and the Methembe Ndlovu owned Bantu Rovers.
Meanwhile, in addition to the top goal scorer of the month award bankrolled by Nokel Security to the tune of $150, a new accolade for the scribe of the month has been added by the sponsors.
The winning sports journalist takes home $50.
derick.khumalo