The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube Sports Correspondent
ZIFA Bulawayo Province is set to introduce a new juniors’ league this year that would cater for Under-20 players. The proposed league would feature players that would have graduated from the current Serie A, which only allows under-18 age group. Mkhululi Mthunzi, the provincial Board member, said they decided to come up with the new league as a way of giving players more time to mature and also keep them in the game as most are lost to football once they graduate from the Serie A.
The Bulawayo Junior League has three tiers, Serie A, Serie B Pool One and Serie B Pool Two.
“We produce over 2 000 players every year in the junior league but they are not all snapped up by teams in the three Divisions that we have or by Premier Soccer League teams hence you find them roaming the streets after graduating from Serie A,’’ said Mthunzi.
“The new league will give them time to mature because we have realised teams in the PSL and Divisions One, Two and Three league are reluctant to give youngsters a chance to play in their teams. In the PSL a rule had been made for teams to register younger players but unfortunately they are not being given game time,” he said, adding that 15 teams had so far registered to participate in the Under-20 league.
Mthunzi, who was the chairman of the disbanded Zifa Bulawayo Province Juniors League, said only exceptional young players, would be given a chance to play but he was quick to point out that over the years the trend was that those local footballers matured late.
He said there were several players who come through the junior ranks in the city but were left in the cold after turning 18 only to emerge later in other teams.
Mthunzi gave as an example FC Platinum goalkeeper Talbert Shumba who saved Kudakwashe Mahachi’s penalty during the Independence Cup semi-finals, disclosing that he was a product of Highlanders juniors.
He said footballers graduating from Under-18 and failing to secure places in other teams can also be tempted to engage in age cheating so as to come back into the game.
The new tier would be turned into Division Four.
Mthunzi said they will this year be strict on coaches’ qualifications in the junior leagues as the quality of mentors in junior development had at times proved to be inept.
“The least coaching qualification that we are going to accept is a grassroots certificate this year to ensure that a good foundation is laid for young footballers as this may impact in their late development.
“We are also introducing a code of conduct to stem unbecoming behaviour among coaches that we have seen over the past years. Abusive language and unprofessional behaviour has just been too much and we hope we can stem it by introducing licences and the code of conduct,” said Mthunzi.
He said they would also stem haphazard transfers that were taking place in the league and would now follow the Zifa transfer window.
“We are going to approve transfers in between the approved periods only in exceptional circumstances for example when a player’s parents are tenants and then they move from Nkulumane to Cowdray Park and the team can’t afford to fund his travels then we might accede to a transfer request,” said Mthunzi.
He appealed to the corporate world to support young players through sponsoring the league.
“Support through tournaments and sponsoring us can go a long way in improving the fortunes of the young players and encouraging them to do better. We are asking the community around us to partner us as we groom youngsters to become better footballers.”
