The Sunday News
Mandla Ncube, Sports Reporter
WHILE tensions may have marked Zifa move to launch a parallel provincial junior league in Bulawayo, the same cannot be said with regards to girls’ soccer.
The move to set up a developmental league for girls has been welcomed with open arms by administrators with efforts to mobilise teams at an advanced stage.
Despite having their own provincial league with more than 10 teams running, the provincial competition had its own set of insurmountable problems that hindered the vibrancy and growth of the league, making the Zifa’s idea of an Under-15 girls league an attractive one.
The vice-chairperson for Southern Region, Cathrine Mavada — said the move has galvanised teams to go further and consult schools to try and mobilise the required number of teams.
“This is a very good idea, which is very much welcome and the clubs are welcoming it and so far, we as a committee are even planning to go into schools to speak to headmasters in an effort to get the players needed,” said Mavada.
With Zifa set to bankroll much of the expenditure that teams will incur in fulfilling the games and during the course of the season, Southern Region chairman Takundwa Chimundiya, applauded the initiative as something that they have been crying for.
“This was long overdue, I think this is the best move, clearly the talent is there, what is then needed is to identify it, trap it and develop it and this will improve us from where we are and with this we can have the best national team,” said Chimundiya.
However, Lee Mangena who is heavily involved in girls’ soccer despite acknowledging the idea as a noble one poked holes into the path Zifa is reportedly taking in trying to mobilise teams.
“What Zifa is doing is very noble but it shouldn’t appear like it’s a parallel structure with them approaching Nash to get Under-15 teams which means if they approach the schools, it will then suffocate our supply line as clubs and with the way they are going about — it might lead to clash of interests from players,” said Mangena.
