Bright prospects beckon for Southern Region Division One

THE Zifa Southern Region Division One will retain the two annual knockout tournaments, Raj Modi John Nkomo Memorial and Trukumb Cup in this soccer calendar, as well as the Nokel Security but the big news could be loading for August.

With the slightest of hints, catching up for half an hour with Zifa Southern Region chairman, Musa Mandaza with Sunday Life correspondent, Noel Munzabwa opened the mind to high expectations.

NM: Chairman, it’s been sitting with you to critically look at soccer region, perhaps you can share with us on the struggles and positives scored in the season so far.

MM:

Then we had our worries on what was happening in Victoria Falls. You cannot believe, for example that today’s Amagagasi is the same team that could have been playing in the Premier Soccer League.

I drove to Victoria Falls and sat down with all our teams there and emphasised how important it was to develop the game there, touched on how important the (Victoria Falls Town) Council needed to upgrade the stadium to world class standard.

Recently we had Brazilian Neymar, who knows, with a world class stadium someday the Barcelona star could be tempted to conduct a strikers’ coaching clinic. He obviously cannot be attracted to the current Chinotimba Stadium, that would be bad advertisement.

It’s time people realised the potential that Victoria Falls has one of the World’s seven wonders. How it could attract a Manchester United tour. Efforts have to be made and developments have to be carried out, soccer must be upgraded.

While in Victoria Falls, teams complained on how they were being overcharged for match day security provision. I am glad to say I had to meet the member in charge (ZRP) there and stipulated match fees are now being charged.

With Amagagasi limping, Victoria Falls Tigers coughing and the new team Mosi Rovers doing well I urged them to bury their differences, combine efforts and create a formidable team that will win promotion. We all want premiership in Victoria Falls and united they have a potential to win the promotion.

NM: You speak of development, how much has the region developed?

MM: The region through Matabeleland North Province has revived soccer in Binga with a league now running. It’s good to know that they have appointed one of the chiefs as the patron. This to me counts as one of the developments.

Who knows? The league could unearth a future Peter Ndlovu. It is my hope to reach out for support to sportsmen and women from that region like Peter Ndlovu, Madinda Ndlovu, yourself and indeed many others. I will soon be visiting Binga.

Then recently we were at Swazi School under the Orap funded programme in which we had about 60 participants mainly drawn from schools for a week. They were taken through administration, coaching and refereeing. The Zifa technical director was there.

That this came just months after the Fifa funded grassroots programme held in Masvingo which seeks to establish 6 000 grassroots coaches in the country shows how serious we are with talent development and as a region we are equally committed.

NM: Great innovation, now let me take you to the league itself, what’s your assessment of the progress?

MM: Memorial and Trukumb Cup this soccer calendar.

The patron has assured us that the 12-team tournament will be there. Due to the success and quality of the players who were selected at the last Trukumb Cup, the scouts will be in the country soon. We expect to run this year’s edition sometime next month.

The region has also retained Nokel Security and we are assured of our end of year awards ceremony. Nationally there is something loading for our first division leagues, probably sometime in August something should start filtering through.

NM: You mentioned other first division leagues, we know you are more of the father to the Central Region, eight years on, how is your child doing? MM: Having weaned him off I guess the Central Region is doing well, actually the fact that he has not consulted us for advice means he is doing well. I guess there are no problems but I am making a promise to check on progress now that you have asked. NM: Chairman, thank you for your time off the busy schedule . . . MM: Thank you very much. I see soccer in Swaziland is growing, with their club reaching the group stage (African Champions League) for the first time perhaps next time we can share notes.

@NoelMunzabwa