Story by Anashe Murombedzi
SCOTTISH football giants Celtic are set to bring their renowned academy expertise to Zimbabwe for a two-day coaching clinic aimed at identifying and developing the next generation of football stars.
The Celtic Soccer Academy, in partnership with Transition Football Club of South Africa, will conduct intensive coaching sessions at Gateway High School in Harare from June 21 to 22 this year.
The coaching clinic is targeted at aspiring footballers from Under-7 to Under-18 age groups and seeks to bridge the gap between local grassroots football and international professional standards.
Coaches travelling from Glasgow, Scotland, will deliver a programme built around four core pillars: technical and tactical training, position-specific development, competitive match play, and one-on-one mentorship from international coaches.
Speaking ahead of the event, Transition Football Club Managing Director and lead scout for the initiative, Innocent Hakulandaba, said the programme will expose young Zimbabwean players to world-class coaching standards.
“This initiative brings highly qualified academy coaches directly from Glasgow to deliver world-class technical and tactical training to young Zimbabwean players. The two-day clinic is designed to give local players a genuine taste of European academy standards,” he said.
The clinic comes at a time when interest in Zimbabwean football talent continues to grow on the international stage.
While talent identification and future professional pathways remain key objectives, organisers say the initiative also reflects Celtic FC’s broader commitment to community development and youth empowerment through sport.
