Everton, Legends deal excites coaches
LOCAL coaches are cheering the partnership between Legends Football Academy and English Premier League club Everton, describing it as a milestone that could unlock new opportunities in Europe for talented local players.
Last week, the academy sealed a pact with Everton to enhance long-term athlete development.
It is the first direct link by any local football institution with an English Premiership club.
Legends also become only the second African football development entity, after Ghana’s Ridge City Women, to be taken on board the Everton International Academy Affiliate Programme (EIAAP).
The EIAAP aims to expand the knowledge and expertise of Everton player development processes to affiliated clubs at all tiers of the game across the world.
This includes access to the latest coaching knowledge from the club’s renowned academy to support player development and growth.
Green Fuel coach and former Young Warriors mentor Rodwell Dhlakama believes the move will assist local players to filter into different English and European leagues.
“This Legends and Everton development initiative is meant to develop young players and support the pathways for aspiring footballers to achieve their potential,” he said.
“It will form the basis for young and talented Zimbabwean players to filtrate into the lucrative and more competitive leagues, which is a dream of many African players.”
Dhlakama – credited with identifying and nurturing a host of players, such as Knowledge Musona, Abbas Amidu, Rodrick Mutuma, Evans Rusike and giant goalkeeper George Chigova – also said such partnerships are expected to boost general training standards of youth football.
“This opportunity will also improve the standards of Zimbabwean football,” he added.
“This will also set the tone for clear development policies, since we will be following the great structures, recruitment, coaching pedagogy, tactical periodisation programmes, analogy and the philosophy of Everton, which has made them a great team in Europe.”
Nesbert “Yabo’’ Saruchera, who has masterminded Cranborne Bullets’ resurgence in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League marathon, saluted the initiative.
“The partnership is a very good development for not only Legends Football Academy, but the entirety of Zimbabwean football,” he said. “We have lots of raw talent and the nurturing, development and marketing of such talent has been the missing link.
“I am delighted to see such an endorsement of the talent that resides in our country. It is a lesson and encouragement to other academies …” Saruchera said Legends Football Academy has been producing high-calibre and well-groomed players.
Chicken Inn technical director Joey Antipas similarly described the deal “as a welcome development for our local football”.
“It’s a plus for some of our talented junior footballers to rub shoulders with Everton academy players, because I am sure the agreement means Zimbabwean boys will be in the spotlight.”
Such a partnership, he added, would benefit national teams in the long-term.
“Everton will invite talented boys from Legends Academy for stints there, meaning it will help their development, which, in turn, makes them better players; which means if those boys blossom, they would become targets. Hopefully, they succeed.
“We will then have a strong base for national teams.”
Ex-Kaizer Chiefs and Warriors star Luke Petros Jukulile – whose WhaWha outfit had a number of the academy’s loanees such as Calum English-Brown, as well the Mapuwa brothers, Washington and Dibellar – said the partnership was “going to benefit all … Zimbabweans”.
“Football personnel, players and coaches are going to benefit a lot as it is going to be a very good partnership … This will further the careers of our players and coaches.
“As nation, we are so happy that this has happened. If you look at Legends, the way they are operating under Farai Dhliwayo, they have shown a lot of professionalism in how they try to develop players within their structures, and they are doing their job in a very commendable way,” he said.
Such a partnership, he added, would benefit national teams in the long-term.
“Everton will invite talented boys from Legends Academy for stints there, meaning it will help their development, which, in turn, makes them better players; which means if those boys blossom, they would become targets. Hopefully, they succeed.
“We will then have a strong base for national teams.”
Ex-Kaizer Chiefs and Warriors star Luke Petros Jukulile – whose WhaWha outfit had a number of the academy’s loanees such as Calum English-Brown, as well the Mapuwa brothers, Washington and Dibellar – said the partnership was “going to benefit all … Zimbabweans”.
“Football personnel, players and coaches are going to benefit a lot as it is going to be a very good partnership … This will further the careers of our players and coaches.
“As nation, we are so happy that this has happened. If you look at Legends, the way they are operating under Farai Dhliwayo, they have shown a lot of professionalism in how they try to develop players within their structures, and they are doing their job in a very commendable way,” he said
“This partnership is a true sign that Zimbabwe football is reaching a certain level where one cannot underestimate the potential and the talent that we have as a country.”
-SundayMail-
