Story by Anashe Murombedzi, Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidential candidate, Twine Phiri has promised to transform Zimbabwean football if elected to the top post next month.
Phiri is not a new name to Zimbabwean football, having been the first individual to own CAPS United after the club was weaned off by CAPS Holdings.
Having led CAPS United in a dominant era in which they won back-to-back league titles in 2004 and 2005, Phiri cemented his reputation as a shrewd and visionary leader.
He was also the chairperson of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), where he played a pivotal role in securing sponsorship deals that propelled the topflight to new heights.
Phiri’s greatest achievement was bringing Castle Lager to the fold in 2011, a move that injected the much-needed sponsorship into the domestic league.
His manifesto makes a strong case for him to be the next ZIFA president, with his vision built on two pillars: junior development and football infrastructure refurbishment.
“I want to bring the young boys and the young girls into the game. I want to come up with regional schools of excellency for ZIFA and these schools will work in tandem with existing structures, including the National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) and the National Association of Secondary Heads (NASH), to create a seamless pipeline for young players to progress from grassroots to national team level,” he said.
Phiri will, however, face stiff competition from five other candidates namely United Kingdom-based football administrator Marshal Gore, former ZIFA board member Philemon Machana, Northern region division one chairperson Martin Kweza, former Dynamos striker Makwinji Soma Phiri, and businessman Nqobile Magwizi.
