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Sports Reporter

ONE of the five Zimbabweans taking part in the UEFA B Level coaching course in Germany, Phillip Zulu, has challenged his compatriots to consider enrolling for the same course for the growth of football in the country.

Zulu and his son Martin, Panashe Kuzamba, Keith Elijah and Brighton Makwedza are undergoing a 10-day UEFA B Level coaching course under the tutelage of acclaimed trainer  Rudy Raab.

Raab is a former player of German Bundesliga club Union Berlin and coach of their Under-17 team. He is also employed by the German Football Federation as an instructor.

The course, which has drawn participants from Australia, Seychelles and Madagascar, ends today. “The course programme is quite intensive and the curriculum is deeply entrenched in the German football philosophy of the modern game,’’ said Zulu.

“From the German perspective of how the modern game works, this course is deeply engaging and offers participants a good platform to learn from a functional coaching system that enhances junior and youth developmental activities.

“Most of the participants have been impressed and they’ve been largely shocked with gaps that exist in their local leagues where they come from. Definitely, we are looking forward to run this course programme again in June and possibly try to have a progression of the German A Licence Course.

“Our vision has taken us this far and the future looks bright when we can start to witness such developments that help to increase the quality of tutors and players in Europe and beyond.’’

He said in the past, very few were interested in such coaches.

“When we look back, the stumbling block was coaching because very few people were interested, but we have so far managed to mentor more than 10 coaches from Zimbabwe who are based in UK,’’ said Zulu.

“And, this traction has gathered momentum now as we seek to progress to top coaching programmes that will stimulate growth, improvement in junior activities and the overall collective structures that will spearhead such intricate and delicate planning processes.

“Our football revival is on the apex of things at the moment. We have the biggest numbers of junior and youth footballers in Europe, from any sub-Saharan countries, we have a rising base of young and experienced coaches gaining top qualifications in top leagues in Europe.

“It’s something that is beyond any measure from other countries around us.

“Our football blueprint is not ordinary nor dull, but it is a great attempt to strategically promote latent talents that are lying idle within our borders or outside.’’

Black Rhinos head coach Herbert Maruwa and Dynamos gaffer Tonderai Ndiraya were also expected to attend this coaching course, but failed because of other commitments.

“I was invited to attend this UEFA B Level coaching course currently underway in Berlin, Germany, but, unfortunately, I’m not in a position to attend it as we are now in the middle of our pre-season training programme and I’m wanted by my club to be there on a full-time basis,” Maruwa said.

Ndiraya is understood to be preparing to leave the country for a two-week attachment with an unnamed club in Belgium.