Northern Region secure sponsorship
JUST as they have done over the years, ZIFA Northern Region Division One are set to keep rewarding their outstanding players after the league secured a cool sponsorship deal with Ruyamuro Service Stations who will partner them for the 2018 season.
The fuel retailers who have outlets in Harare, Guruve and other areas have already gone into bed with the Northern region, easily Zimbabwean football’s trendsetting region when they bankrolled the 2017 awards last week.
During that ceremony which they also funded, Ruyamuro gave a motor vehicle to the league’s Soccer Star Blessing Majarira of Herentals and also catered for the trophies and all the prizes that were presented on the night.
Majarira also claimed the Golden Boot award as he fired Herentals into the Premiership.
Ruyamuro’s arrival on the Division One scene has left the region’s boss Willard Manyengavana purring with the veteran administrator also describing it as “a step in the right direction’’.
Manyengavana leads a dynamic cast that includes vice-chairman Martin Kweza, secretary-general Robert Mamvura, Sweeney Mushonga (fixtures) Stanlious Nyachowe (development) and the finance man John Remba that has been trying to turn the Division One League into a competitive and enviable platform where young players in particular can launch their professional careers.
The Northern region leadership also believe that awards such as the Soccer Stars’ event have served as huge incentives for players and clubs alike and it is against this background that they believe that such smart partnerships like the one they have entered with Ruyamuro, could just be the turning point for their league.
“I am glad that we have clinched a sponsorship deal with Ruyamuro Service Stations who have sponsored us for our end of year awards and their coming on board is a reaffirmation of the sponsors’ confidence in us as a league.
“And I believe that the ushering in of a new dispensation in the country will boost the confidence of sponsors and stakeholders not only in us but in the whole football fraternity in the country.
“When we have such support, our game becomes highly competitive and can produce players and teams that can fare quite well in international competitions.
“I salute the sponsors who gave us the grand prize, of a vehicle which was given to this year’s Soccer Star of the year. We hope this relationship with the sponsors will flourish as we go into the future.
“I also wish to assure our sponsors that we will not let them down but shall always strive to meet our end of the bargain. We value our sponsors’ brand,” said Manyengavana.
Manyengavana said the league would also continue to explore and implement measures that will enhance competitiveness including exchange programmes, talent identification, continuous training of coaches and club administrators.
“We will try our level best to continuously improve our league’s competitiveness through exchange programmes, talent identification, continuous training of coaches and club administrators.
“We reckon that Zimbabwe has abundant talent which we need to tap into and nurture to produce robust clubs.
“We also urge the clubs themselves to also invest more in the development of their players and technical teams as this will go a very long way in positioning our league as the country’s best,’’ said Manyengavana.