Calls to boost Zim women’s football amid funding c...

Calls to boost Zim women’s football amid funding crisis

Patience Muchemwa

Most football supporters and coaches are worried about the trajectory the development of women football in the country is taking.

This comes as several women football teams are pulling out of organised league soccer due to funding challenges.

However, soccer fans believe there are things which should be done for the betterment of women football in the country.

There have been suggestions on the establishment of a regional league which could cut transport costs as some teams are failing to travel from Harare to Bulawayo or vice versa.

Supporters believe that strengthening regional football will increase competition as it increases the pool of players and everyone wants to play in the premier league or tournaments involving top teams.

Coaches and supporters who spoke to Zim Now generally agreed that something has to be done to improve women football in the country, especially if there are proper football structures.

Former Mighty Warriors Under 17 and Under 15 as well as Cyclone coach, Prosper Manzungu, said to improve women football in Zimbabwe there is need for proper football structures, especially in the area of development of the technical coaches, medical personnel, the managers, referees and the administrators at developmental level.

“We can also talk of the compulsory initiatives where every school has to play girls football at NASH level, at NAF level, at every college, at every tertiary institution in the country.

“We have also to balance the area between those Group A schools and the government schools because the gap is too big.

“They also have to balance in terms of time, time given to training where proper basics are being taught, and time given to competition.

“There is a lot to be done in terms of development where we need to have the National Under 10, Under 12, Under 15 and Under 20. These are developmental, in which we find players falling in categories of 0-19, when players goes for 21 and 23 going up, that’s where all the necessary technical, tactical, psychological and physical aspects of the game had been taught, had been assessed, had been proved and had been analysed.

“So, these things must be been done at such a junior level.

Harare City Football Club assistant coach, Kevin Togaraseyi, suggested women football should have proper junior structures starting from U13s with adequate funding.

“Zifa should channel funds to the grassroots from grants given by Fifa.”
Former Support Unit Queens coach, Douglas Nyoni, agreed with Togaraseyi to have it played from the grassroots as its male counterparts are doing.

“The women’s pressure groups should also promote the sport as the majority of the populace think that if a woman plays football in particular, she is deemed someone of loose morals but football has become some form of employment,” added Nyoni.

“We need to find sponsorship for women’s soccer and only then can we increase the depth of players because most of their careers are cut short due to life demands.

“What they get out of football is not enough, especially when you are a bread winner with young brothers and sisters to take care of.”