The Sunday Mail
Veronica Gwaze
BRITISH coach Grant Brown is expected in Harare tomorrow as he continues with his mission to help develop the country’s future football stars.
Brown, a former Leicester City player, will take charge of training sessions at BN Academy’s holiday clinic, which is slated for 22-26 April at Belgravia Sports Club. The FootballCV Academy manager will be assisted by Biggie Zuze, Philemon Mutyakureva, Gilbert Mushangazhike, Antony Veriwa, Steve Chikodzi and Laban Kandi.
“This is the latest step in our ongoing battle to change the face of local football,” commented BN Academy director Bekhi Nyoni.
“Brown is an experienced coach with a good eye for talent and his presence in Zimbabwe means a lot to us. Our boys will get some top class coaching and two of them will get a life time opportunity of spending a week at the FootballCV Academy in the UK.
“Apart from the two lucky players going to UK we as BN Academy also intend to send some boys to the UK in August as we seek to further cement our relationship with our partners.”
Nyoni warned that Zimbabwe cannot afford to ignore grassroots football as it is the conveyer belt that churns out the next Warriors and Mighty Warriors players.
“Look at the current Warriors squad and you will appreciate what good coaching at the grassroots does. George Chigova, Khama Blliat, Knowledge Musona and Marvellous Nakamba to mention a few are products of football academies.
“It’s not glamorous, we don’t get to have our faces in the newspapers but the truth is we are helping shape the future of Zimbabwean football.
“As BN Academy we are encouraged by the fact that Zifa president Felton Kamambo is a believer in grassroots football and has already started walking the talk in terms of helping develop that facet of our game.”
In the long run Nyoni hopes to see his partnership with the Football CV Academy opening up doors for local players joining English clubs as opposed to the current trend that sees them flocking to South Africa and failing to develop further.
