Zimpapers Logo

Ellina Mhlanga Sports Reporter
THE Unilever sponsored, Shield-Chelsea football talent search, which will see one lucky Zimbabwean getting a once-in-a-life-time opportunity of flying to London to train with Chelsea legends, kicks off in Bulawayo with trials set for Gifford High School this Saturday. This is part of a partnership between Shield, a Unilever brand, and former English Premiership champions Chelsea.

The partnership will present Zimbabweans and other African amateur football players with the opportunity to feel and see how it takes to train like champions. It’s targeting both male and female players between the age of 18 and 25, who are not attached to any professional league.

The individual will get to train at the world-class training ground and get to play against Chelsea legends.

To enter the competition one has to purchase any Shield product and send their bar code or a picture of the receipt via WhatsApp. In a statement by the organisers, Shield brand manager, Susan Luneta, urged interested players to attend Saturday’s trials.

“This is a dream come true for the young men and women who dare to chase their goals. I urge all youths in Bulawayo aged between 18 and 25 to come to Gifford High School on Saturday, 19 May.

“We are still accepting entries into the competition.

“We want to give every youth a chance. Those who didn’t get the opportunity to enter via the SMS, WhatsApp and USSD platforms can come on the day of the trials. All they need to do is bring with them a Shield product as this will be a requirement to enter,” said Luneta.

Former Warriors coach Calisto Pasuwa, ex-Highlanders mentor Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu, former Dynamos midfielder Naison Muchekela and former Warriors and CAPS United forward Alois Bunjira will be in charge of the trials.

A total of 15 youths will be selected from the Bulawayo trials to join another group of 15 players who will be selected in Harare on June 2.

The final 30 players will then go for a week-long boot camp session in July.

After the boot camp, three Chelsea coaches will come to Harare on July 25 to pick the final winner, who will go to Cobham training ground in England and play against Chelsea legends.

Zulu also urged Bulawayo and Matebeleland provinces youths to turn out in large numbers for the trials.