Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
AMBITIOUS Zifa Southern Region League side Bulawayo Chiefs have enrolled their coach Thulani “Thuts” Sibanda for a high-level Scottish FA C-Licence coaching course in Cape Town, South Africa.
The programme started on December 9 and ends on December 21, and is being facilitated by Cape Town-based football academy which is also an agency known as ONE10SPORT.
The courses are at par with the Uefa syllabus and the Scottish FA that Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, former Liverpool manager Brendon Rogers and former Tottenham boss Andre Villas Boas underwent and graduated.
ONE10SPORT is dedicated to producing South Africa’s next top players, coaches and managers. The college is the facilitator for the globally recognised European Football coaching courses in South Africa. Coaches that complete the C Licence through ONE10SPORT are eligible to advance to the Uefa courses for the Uefa B Licence.
Bulawayo Chiefs’ director Lovemore Sibanda said in their quest to make a mark in Zimbabwean football, they noted that it would be wise to send Thulani for the Scottish FC C-Licence so that he keeps abreast with international football trends.
“We believe we will get better rewards from sending our coach Thulani for this advanced coaching course. He has done a good job for us by winning the Southern Region Division One Soccer League in 2013 and this year we came short of being promoted having embarked on a rebuilding exercise. After completing the Eufa recognised course, he will be at par with some of the country’s top coaches. Funds permitting, we would like to see him attaining a Uefa B Licence,” he said.
Thulani could be reaping rewards for identifying young talent in the form of attacking midfielder Ishamel Wadi, defender Last Sithole and goalkeeper Wallace Magalane, whom a number of Premier Soccer League clubs jostled to sign.
They were recently signed by Zvishavane-based FC Platinum after passing their medicals.
Players such as Proud “Sjankala” Zireni and Mhleli Sibanda are some of the players that could also be on their way out of Chiefs following an outstanding 2015 season in the lower league.
The duo also boast of PSL experience with Zireni having had a stint in the topflight with Bantu Rovers while Mhleli turned out for FC Platinum and Harare City.
“We’re not done in terms of dealing with PSL clubs. We believe we’re a springboard for youngsters, who have ambitions of playing in the elite league. More of our players will be joining PSL clubs during this window,” Lovemore Sibanda said.