Ajax Hotspurs on player protection
ONE of the most consistent clubs in producing top quality junior players in Bulawayo, Ajax Hotspurs have called on ZIFA to enforce the online registration of players so as to protect small clubs from being manipulated by well established and professional clubs.
Siphambaniso Dube, whose club Ajax Hotspurs has produced a number of players who have gone on to play first team football for a number of Premier Soccer League teams in the country, said it was critical that the country embraces the latest trends on the global stage by doing away with the archaic method of manual registration of players as that turns to breed a lot of corruption and manipulation.
“I personally think it’s high time that ZIFA enforces online registration in all its affiliates from junior levels upwards because this system of relying on manual processes at this day and age does not do us any good. Age cheating is rampant, clubs do not get their compensation which is due to them when players move to these big clubs because there is no paper trail to prove that a particular player was actually developed by that club,” said Dube whose clubs has produced players like Peter Muduhwa, Mbongeni Ndlovu, Reward Muza, Denzel Khumalo, Chrispen Machisi, Devine Lunga to name but just a few who are now household names locally and in the region.
Once player information has been added to the system it remains there for annual registration before the start of each season, significantly reducing administration time and removing the requirement for repeat paper forms.
Alongside this, the system also transacts player transfers, creates a lasting football history for each player, provides a unique identity for each player, improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the discipline process as well as providing team sheet export and photo identification.
“Some of us have a passion for grassroots and it pains us when we see people claiming boys they would not have developed so I sincerely hope and pray that ZIFA makes it a mandatory that all teams must register their players using the system and any club that fails to embrace this then it must not be allowed to participate in any organised football under the auspices of ZIFA,” said Dube.
Dube becomes the second administrator to call for the embracing of online registration in the local game after ZIFA Bulawayo province board member Allan Mpofu.