Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
WORLD football governing body Fifa have launched an ambitious youth development programme that will see member associations receiving a wide range of support, including material, technical, educational as well as up to $50,000 per year for two years.
The programme will be rolled out at the beginning of January 2016, with Fifa releasing a circular to member associations asking them to submit detailed youth development plans in their applications for funding.
Once approved, Fifa will provide $50,000 annually for two years, with each of the 16 teams in the league getting soccer balls, bibs, cones, shirts, shorts, shin guards, boots, socks and goalkeeping equipment for 20 players, including two goalkeepers.
According to the circular from Fifa’s acting secretary-general Markus Kattner, the support will be tailored to the needs and specific situation of each member association, and as such, a careful examination and evaluation of each application would be done.
“Each project will be supported for two years, including in the areas of consultancy, education, equipment (in the first year) and financial assistance,” said Kattner.
He said youth football was one major priority for development of the game as domestic youth leagues were virtually non-existent in most member associations.
He said the development programme was intended to assist associations become more proactive and to at least have one proper youth competition in place that runs for between seven and eight months.
“If it’s shorter, players (and coaches) can’t develop as they should and lack a consistent competitive environment,” said Kattner.
Associations wishing to benefit from the programme, according to the circular, must have an established grassroots programme that supplies enough players to sustain domestic youth football competitions.
There should also be defined youth competition objectives within the general strategic plan of the member association and for youth football in particular (existing or planned).
“There must be a dedicated person responsible for youth football development under the technical director as well as a potential integration of school football competitions,” reads the circular.
Associations also need to have an existing training and education system for youth coaches as well as infrastructure for competitions and training.
A sustainability plan for the competition after two years (post-Fifa support) must also be in place.
With Zimbabwe set to bounce back into the World Cup qualifiers after the 2018 finals in Russia, Zifa can form an Under-18 or Under-20 national provincial league with the 2022 World Cup in mind.
Coaches with an eye for talent like the legendary Ali “Baba” Dube, Moses Chunga and Madinda Ndlovu can be used to identify young players.
Zimbabwe used to have a sound junior programme that saw the likes of Godfrey Paradza, Agent Sawu, Tobias Mudyambanje and the late Willard Mashinkila Khumalo rising to national stardom.
The deadline for all applications is January 31, 2016. Applications for further years have to be submitted by November 30 of every year.