Most soccer analysts have blamed failure to progress by national soccer teams on the dearth of talent development initiatives and Gumiso believes this could change in the near future.
“Zimbabwe seems to have lost its track in junior football and my involvement in dealing with grassroots football will help bring back that old glory,” said the former defensive midfielder. “I am one of the group coaches who were appointed by UN to train young boys in football and life matters throughout the world and so far, I have enjoyed every minute of my new job, which has taken me to various countries, where I have also learnt a lot. The contract runs until 2016.”
“I have already tasted the feeling of the new job as I did my first training in Johannesburg recently and got a phenomenal response from youngsters in the local community,” he added.
Gumiso is set to travel to Spain in mid-March and hopes to learn more things from the world and European champions in the course of educating the youth. “I will be travelling to Madrid and I hope to learn how they run their football because they are the most successful football nation at the moment, with youth development being their biggest advantage.”
The UN grassroots football mission involved the cultivation of the game’s grassroots – the foundation on which elite football can thrive. In the past 13 years, Zimbabwe’s junior football has been crumbling, with many fans blaming it on the football mother body ZIFA. FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, recently gave the thumbs up to grassroots football.
“Football is not a sport for the elite. It is available for everyone, irrespective of size, shape, colour or faith,” he said. “It is a real sporting democracy which offers educational values, health benefits, social opportunities and sporting worth. The game is a wonderful vehicle for personal and sporting development. At the base of the football pyramid, grassroots football benefits all levels of the game.”
Post published in: Football