Story by Gay Matambo
MANICA Diamonds have intensified efforts to strengthen their developmental structures ahead of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) season, shifting their talent identification programme from urban centres to rural communities.
The Mutare-based outfit, under the guidance of Under-19 head coach Hebron Makukutu, has completed its latest round of assessments in the Odzi area as part of a province-wide scouting initiative aimed at uncovering hidden talent.
The programme, which has already been rolled out in Chiadzwa and Marange, is designed to reach young players often overlooked by traditional scouting systems that predominantly focus on cities.
“We have noticed that most young players in rural areas are not given a platform to showcase their talent, as big teams mainly focus on cities. There is a lot of untapped talent in rural areas, and that is our main focus as a technical team. We thank our sponsor ZCDC for this initiative,” Makukutu said.
For the selected players, the opportunity represents a significant breakthrough.
“I am happy to be one of the players who made it today, and we thank Manica Diamonds for this initiative. This is a huge milestone in my career. I never thought this opportunity would come to us here. We appreciate this platform that will enable us to take football to greater heights,” one of the beneficiaries said.
Club officials indicated that the selection process prioritised positional awareness, adaptability and raw athletic ability, as the team builds depth and long-term competitiveness ahead of the new PSL campaign.
The rural scouting drive is expected to bolster the club’s developmental pipeline while broadening access to professional football pathways across Manicaland Province.
