The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MUTARE businessman and politician, Isau Mupfumi, has challenged football teams and scouts to take advantage of the ongoing ward based competitions to identify talent and help develop the game in the country.
In the past, a number of top-flight league players graduated into competitive leagues after being identified while partaking in community sports tournaments.
In an interview on the sidelines of the sixth round of league matches in Dangamvura, Mutare, Mupfumi said the game of football has a potential to change lives for the better only if administrators give a professional approach to its management.
Mupfumi said it is sad that most of the ongoing ward based league matches have been played in the absence of local football coaches and scout.
“We are playing ward based competitive football matches every week and it is unfortunate that football coaches and scouts are failing to take advantage of this initiative to identify talented players who can make it big in more competitive leagues.
“From the games we have watched so far, it is clear that we have a lot of unattached talented players. Football in this country has a potential to grow and change lives for the better if it is managed properly. Remember worldwide football is now a multi-billion dollar industry, hence the need to take it seriously,” said Mupfumi.
From the matches played so far in men’s football competitions, Ward 13, which consists of players from Weirmouth, Mutare Farm Prison, CBZ Extension, is in the lead after amassing 15 points from six matches, while second placed Ward 17, consists of players from Hobhouse, Destiny, Chikanga Phase Three, Garikai, Dreamhouse, has amassed 13 points from five rounds of league matches they have played so far.
Ward 19, comprising players based in Fern Valley, is on third position.
Punching bags Ward Nine and Gimboki are yet to win a solitary match since the start of the league matches.
In netball, wards 17, 18 and Six are tied on top of the table after amassing 10 points from six rounds of league matches played so far.
