Revival Football Academy was dealt a major boost after receiving two sets of kits from English premiership side Leicester City through one of its promising Zimbabwean born strikers, 19-year-old Admiral Darly Muskwe last month.
Muskwe is set to make a debut for the Zimbabwe Warriors in the upcoming friendly matches against Lesotho and Namibia next week. Revival Academy was founded over a decade and a half ago by local football legend and former Dynamos leftback Stanley “Samora” Chirambadare. The Zimbabwe Foreign Legion (ZFL), an organisation that seeks to identify and encourage foreign-based players to come home and play for the national team, presented the kits at Mufakose 3 High on October 7.
The hand-over ceremony was facilitated by former Warriors and Dynamos coach Kallisto Pasuwa and representatives from the Muskwe family attended the event.
Chirambadare commended Muskwe for his efforts at such a young age, pointing out that while he could have easily followed the pop culture being followed by young people of his age, he chose to play football and to remember his roots as evidenced by the donation from Leicester City.
He thanked ZFL for their vision and the two representatives from the Muskwe family for their assistance at the occasion.
In a major move meant to boost the morale of the young players to pursue football seriously, Admiral, who has been living in Leicester England with his family since he was three years old — revealed that Bill Wall from Leicester City FC would be involved in scouting for local talent at Revival Academy.
He encouraged the young footballers to quit focusing on monetary gains at this level but rather to have discipline, to work hard, develop character and skill.
Pasuwa appreciated Muskwe for following in the footsteps of great players such as Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Mwaruwari, who have in the past contributed to the development of football at grassroots levels. He said football stars like Khama Billiat were products of the academy and he desired to see him and others playing outside the country contributing to support young football enthusiasts throughout the country.
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“Football starts at these young ages and if they are nurtured, it makes it easier for us to be able to identify players we need at the national level,” Pasuwa said.
He advised the young footballers from the academy to be very patient and not expect money every time they win a match at this stage. He counselled them to shun drugs, alcohol, to exercise restraint and avoid early marriages that could become a trap for them in their football careers in the future.
Pasuwa cited a case involving a 17-year-old player in South Africa who already has a wife and three children.
“Do not quit school, because education is very important and some talented young people are getting scholarships to go and study abroad. So we’re saying, go to school and play football too.”
—Pachikoro/Sports Reporter
