Aces Academy reveal huge costs

ACES Youth Soccer Academy director, Nigel Munyati, has reaveled they pump a staggering US$250 000 per year just to keep the academy running.

The academy, which has produced some of the country’s finest players, including Warriors skipper, Knowledge Musona, is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

“This academy costs us about US$250 000 a year to run,” said Munyati.

“The formula should be that you are getting some money from foundations, or whatever source that is sponsoring you, with some coming from the placement of players locally and internationally.

“If it works well, those two should combine to give you the resources you need, for us, that’s what we thought was going to happen.

“Yes, we had Musona and we had ( Khama) Billiat and that’s pretty much about it, in terms of meaningful income that comes, from placement of players.

“But, right now, most of the local clubs, some of whom we have had contracts with since 2019, haven’t paid us a cent for those players.

“If they don’t pay, naturally you withdraw the player, but that’s won’t help the player in any way.

“It then starts to look like you are the greedy one, who doesn’t care about the player’s development, but that is not it.

“This is a player who comes to the academy at 11 years and doesn’t pay a cent.

“We look after his education, his nutrition and all his welfare, for six to seven years.

‘’ The idea is to invest the money back into the system to get more players.’’

The other director of the academy is Swiss coach, Marc Duvillard.

The duo said they will look back, at the past 20 years, with a mixture of both satisfaction, and disappointment.

George Chigova, Donovan Bernard,

Jimmy Dzingai and Lincoln Zvasiya also came through their corridors.

They have also produced women national team players, such as Violet Bepete, Eunice Chibanda, Rufaro Machingura, Daisy Kaitano and former Mighty Warriors captain, Marjory Nyaumwe.

The club are planning an end-of-year get-together to celebrate the journey travelled.

“It’s a combination of pride and frustration,” said Munyati.

“We have satisfaction in what we have achieved, under very trying circumstances, and the fact that we have given premier football development the limelight, which it didn’t have.

“I can tell you, without hesitation, we were the first successful academy that paved the way for everybody else and we hope that, what we have done, will continue to inspire others, to do it properly.

“What I have found frustrating is that some of our academies want to cut corners but we have to know that the motivation is not about the money.

“You have to do it for the love, and development, of the game and the joy of working with children.”

The institution has seen over 300 professional players pass through their doors.

Munyati said AYSA’s philosophy was pinned on sport, and academic development for boys and girls, aged between 10 and 18 years.

Since their establishment, on February 7, 2001, the Academy have provided social development support, for Zimbabwe’s disadvantaged children, through sport and academic education.

At their peak, the academy had an enrolment of 120 children.

But, they have been forced to scale down to 73, because of the need to improve quality, and the limited resources.

Duvillard said the academy was born out of the need to give the players the basics at a young age.

“When I arrived here, to coach Black Aces, I saw individual potential among the players,’’ he said.

“When watching even big teams, like Dynamos and CAPS United, sometimes there were five-six minutes when they were playing well.

“But, then it all turns to be chaotic football, all of a sudden. You could see the guys have no plan, they were just kicking the ball, aimlessly, hoping it results in a goal.

“So, the players needed to improve technically. You would realise some of the small things were lacking at training.

“Our philosophy is to help players play the ball, and to think, when he is on the field of play. “Football is changing all the time, every player can improve but can only do so if you give him the tools, which is what we have given to the guys, at the academy.’’

The Swiss coach said the problem with local coaches was that they don’t trust young players.

AYSA have also been successful, with placements of their players, in foreign leagues.

They sent Martin Mapisa, Abubakar Moffat, Nicholas Guyo and Kundai Mukweva to Spain.

They have also produced the likes of CAPS United midfielder Blessing Sarupinda, Dynamos’ Tinotenda Chiunye, Emmanuel Jalai and Jarrison Selemani, Donovan Bernard, Brett Amidu (FC Platinum) and Panashe Mutasa (Tenax).

Duvillard said the Academy would achieve much with support from local stakeholders.

“If we look bac, I think we did an excellent collaboration. We need financial and material support.

“We have tried to approach big companies and we have got nothing at the end.

“We focus too much on the national team and forget the foundation. The day ZIFA understands that, our football will improve.

“The quality is there, we need to grow it,” said Duvillard.