The birth of Milan FC
IF the bad news is that talented players from the sprawling suburb of Sakubva have always been complaining about being overlooked by some local clubs, then the good news is that a truly ghetto football project has been born and christened Milan FC.
Football crazy folks in the high-density suburb and Sakubva-born Nisbert Kurewa, a youthful businessman who has shown his love for the game by financially supporting several Mutare-based clubs over the years, finally took heed of the talented players’ plea to form the club. The football project will take part in Zifa’s Manicaland Division Two League.
With the aim of identifying and promoting football talent in the eastern border city, Milan FC has become one of the first clubs in the lower league to give legally binding contracts to their playing and technical staff.
Team manager, Donald ‘King Azurie’ Manhende confirmed the development.
Manhende, who has managed a number of players from Sakubva, especially the OTS section, said they hope the platform will give youths in Mutare’s oldest high-density suburb a chance to showcase their talent.
“Our wish is to give the youths in Sakubva a platform to showcase their talent. We are talking about people who have been denied the chance to shine by some local clubs on a number of occasions, hence the idea to form this club.
“However, we are alive to the fact that in modern football, players are not restricted in terms of movement. That is way you see CR7 (Cristiano Ronaldo) playing in Spain. Therefore we will also have players from other areas, as long as they feel they can be part of us,” said Manhende. He went on to reveal that Milan FC has already assembled a team and signed contacts with the players they intend to work with when the season finally gets underway.
“We are good to go. We have signed contracts with players, including Charles Masocha, a striker who was last season’s Manica Diamonds junior’s top scorer and Happy Dzveta, a defender who used toplay for MFS. Prince ‘Skilo’ Tafirenyika will be the head coach,” said Manhende.