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transform the face of football in the country amid pledges by the game’s most-powerful man that they are ready to assist Zimbabwe become a powerhouse.

President Mugabe described Blatter’s visit as a great honour to the nation.
“Keep thinking of us,” President Mugabe told Blatter.

Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting with Blatter, President Mugabe described the visit as a great one from the “most powerful man in  world football.
“We hope a bit of his power will remain with us. We are greatly honoured by his visit.”

President Mugabe joked that Blatter’s visit was a good omen to Zimbabwe’s national football teams.
“We hope now that you are here we will not lose matches,” he said.

FOOTBALL

• Blatter’s pleas fall on deaf ears

Blatter hailed President Mugabe for supporting football, saying he was convinced that Zimbabwe has a wonderful future.
He said football promotes the spirit of fair play and connects people, which is good for Zimbabwe.

Blatter said bringing the World Cup soccer tournament to South Africa had proved that Africa has the capacity to hold big events.
Blatter immediately got down to business moments after touching down at the Harare International Airport at 7:50am after a nine-hour flight from Zurich, Switzerland.

He also met with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and revealed that both leaders had in their meetings with him indicated the Government’s new thrust to prioritise the development of sport, “especially football”.
He also watched the Mighty Warriors’ Cosafa Women Championship tie against Malawi, which the hosts won 8-2, and was given a standing ovation by the crowd at Rufaro.

After a hectic day, during which he also met the Zifa board, the Sport and Recreation Commission and Govern-ment officials, Blatter later addressed the media in the capital last night at which he pledged his organisation’s financial and material assistance for cash-strapped Zifa.

Zifa have sent a special plea to Fifa in which they are seeking US$1,5 million to recapitalise their operations.
Blatter, after consulting with his secretary-general Jerome Valcke and Fifa head of development Cyril Loisel, said the world body was working on the Zifa request.

He pledged that they would assist Zifa with funding outside of the annual US$250 000 grant that they give to member associations under the financial assistance programme.

“To recapitalise Zifa, we should have a specific report on what type of problems they are facing, but we are working on their request to recapitalise. Perhaps we can give a little more
here than we normally give. When the initiatives are there something can done,” Blatter said.
The 75-year-old Fifa boss revealed that his organisation could help improve Zimbabwean football in the next seven months.

“I believe in God and in my religion God created the world in seven days but we are not God so we can create better football for Zimbabwe in seven months.
“We can give you coaches referees and money if it can help the game,” said Blatter.

Blatter also said Zimbabwe and African football had a huge potential for growth and acknowledged that the continent’s players were a talented lot who needed better infrastructure that also has to be managed properly.

He expressed his satisfaction with the efforts being made by Zifa to clean up the image of the local game including the association’s probe into allegations of match-fixing involving the senior national team – the Warriors.
Apart from Valcke, Blatter is also being accompanied by senior officials from the Zurich-based body – Thierry Regenass, director member associations and development division, Fifa director Walter Gagg, development manager for Africa Francesco Bruscoli and the world body’s development officer for Southern Africa Ashford Mamelodi.

Blatter also described his trip to Zimbabwe a great honour for the Fifa delegation.
“It is a very great honour for me, the Fifa delegation and the secretary-general to be in this country.
“Football can connect people.

“I have been told that I like Africa more than any other continent but let me tell you that when I started working for Fifa as a development office in February 1976, I was based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and I learnt a lot about Africa and the different cultures on the continent.

“I realised that football is more than just kicking a ball in Africa and I also realised that African players are more talented than any other even more talented than the Brazilians.
“We will not impose any type for football for Africa but we will try to assist and I also believe that Africa needs continuity in their football… half of the six African countries at the World Cup in South Africa changed their coaches soon after the competition,” Blatter said.

Blatter, who is expected to fly out to Durban South Africa for the 123rd International Olympic Committee session this morning, was given a reception befitting that of a head of state yesterday.
Zifa president Cuthbert Dube, the association’s board members, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Walter Mzembi, the Deputy Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture and the Zimbabwe Tourism

Authority chief executive Karikoga Kaseke were on hand to receive the Fifa boss and his entourage.
After a brief session at the VVIP lounge at the airport, Blatter was whisked away to the Rainbow Towers hotel where he had a chance to mix and mingle with some of the teams that are in the country for the on-going Cosafa Women’s Championships.

Blatter had his hosts in stitches as he joined a local traditional dance troupe on the dance floor as they treated his delegation to the jiti and kongonya beats.
Moments after checking into the hotel, Blatter soon joined the Zifa board, Sports Commission and government officials in a breakfast meeting after which he toured the Zifa Village in Mt Hampden, where he performed the ceremonial groundbreaking ritual for the envisaged Zifa training centre.

Blatter was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara, who was also part of the colourful crowd, at Rufaro.
At half-time the Fifa president officially unveiled a plaque during the official hand-over of the artificial turf at Rufaro

Fifa injected US$700 000 for the construction of the turf which was installed under the Win in Africa with Africa programme ahead of the 2010 World Cup held in South Africa.