Coaches praise Legends’ Everton tour
PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE and Division One coaches have praised Legends Football Academy of Zimbabwe (LFAZ)’s pioneering player-assessment tour of Premiership side Everton, which they believe could unearth new opportunities for grassroots football in Zimbabwe.
Legends announced last week that they would be taking four of their star players on a week-long training and assessment tour of Everton’s Finch Farm training ground in England next month.
The academy named the quartet of Calum English-Brown, Washington Mapuwa, Preston Steblecki and Tatenda Maulidi for the first practical interaction between the Toffees and LFAZ since the two institutions unveiled a partnership deal in June.
Ex-Zimbabwe Under-17 coach Lloyd Mutasa feels the tour will inspire more young players across the country.
Mutasa, who is now in charge of ambitious Northern Region Division One side MWOS, said such initiatives would also motivate those involved in the development structures of the local game.
“When you see teams taking such a route, you see how eager they want to take the local game to the highest level, and, as such, it inspires not only the youth players, but also all involved in football development.
“It takes serious people with great vision and aspirations to take such a move,” Mutasa said.
Green Fuel gaffer Rodwell Dhlakama, who is also a former Zimbabwe Under-17 and Under-20 coach, believes the tour would help the players get the necessary exposure to a professional setup.
“This welcome initiative will integrate individual growth within the team framework, (and) that will also create an environment that thrives on collaboration, communication and healthy competition,” Dhlakama said.
“This will encourage our players to share their knowledge and skills with a team that is very professional in every sense of the word.
“That will also make them understand that personal progress is not just a stepping stone but a fuel that propels the entire team towards success.”
Dhlakama has been working with 18-yearold winger Mapuwa, who is currently on loan from LFAZ and has been one of the standout players at Green Fuel.
“Furthermore, that will instil a sense of responsibility and accountability within our young players, and also encourage them to take ownership of their own development, while emphasising the importance of contributing to the team’s collective goals,” Dhlakama said. “It will help them understand that their personal achievements are amplified when they synchronise with the greater purpose of the team.
“The exposure they will get and the professionalism they will encounter will rub onto them, and when they get an opportunity in future for a trial, it will be very easy for them to adjust and adapt.”
Former Harare City and Golden Eagles coach Mark Mathe was also impressed by news of the young players’ impending tour.
“As a football coach, I personally think the assessment tour to be undertaken by Legends Academy youth players is a strong indication that Zimbabwe has talented footballers in abundance,” he said.
“So, I think this assessment tour of Everton by Legends will motivate and inspire young footballers to take their careers seriously and balancing it with academics, where applicable. “This development should also spur other academies to intensify their programmes in nurturing young players . . . and strategic exposure of the players to teams outside of Zimbabwe . . .
“This development will have an impact locally as this will see football administrators and coaches integrating the youth players into their teams for value addition and subsequently exporting footballers to foreign teams . . .”
Triangle United FC coach Thulani Sibanda said such tours would help to professionalise the sport.
“I think this is a very good initiative because when players develop, they don’t only develop their physique, but they also develop the psychological part, so I think it is a tour that will instil professionalism at a very young age,” Sibanda said.
“It is a very noble idea. Resources permitting, if more junior clubs and academies could to do the same, I think it could make a difference in terms of our football development as a nation.”