Russel Mapuvire
Former warriors and CAPS united legend, now soccer coach at Parliament Sports Club Alouis Bunjira says he is willing to lead ZIFA and if given the chance would bring positive improvements to the troubled soccer governing body.
In an interview with TellZim News, Bunjira said soccer and other sports are not being taken seriously because the ones who lead sport entities are not passionate.
“These leaders are failing to support the young people with talents with training facilities, talent identification and grooming. For these talented youths to prosper they need leaders who have been in sport, who have passion and see the importance of sports like football,” said Bunjira.
He said the talent identification methods that were used in yester years have been abandoned and this is greatly affecting sport especially football.
“Our football is dying because there is lack of development like what was there before. When we were growing up, national team for under 15, 17 and 20 used to be selected, there were stages which school teams would follow then the best players will be selected. Now those in leadership just ask provinces to provide pupils whom they think are good and many talented players are left unnoticed,” said Bunjira.
He said Zifa was failing to scout for talent in schools not just to manage the national team.
“ZIFA’s main duty is to organise and to develop football in Zimbabwe from schools to professional football not to just to manage the national team.
“They fail to support under 15, 17, 20 and 23. They just lift their heads on the selection of the senior nation team, says Bunjira.
On the issue of ZIFA suspension by the Sports and Recreation Commission, he said it was not supposed to go to that extent but the complaints were now many so the SRC had to do their work.
Bunjira continued saying that he already harboured ambitions to stand for 2022 Zifa elections before the SRC and Zifa conflicts and he really wants to help the football prosper. He is also happy to compete because some of the big names in country are in support of him such as Themba Mliswa and also the chairman of SRC Jerald Mlotshwa. He promised to help the system to be what it was before or to be better.
Zimbabwean football has gone through a lot of shambles as the nation dismally performed in the 2022 world cup qualifiers leaving fans heart-broken as the team got two points from six outings thereby sinking down the ladder on Federation of International Football Federations (Fifa) rankings.
