Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Cuthbert Malajila is on the cusp of making history in Zimbabwe
Malajila says ‘impossible is nothing’ as he plots a football revolution in Zimbabwe at CUMA academy.
The former Zimbabwe international forward is impressed by the progress made by his academy, CUMA, in their maiden Northern Region Division One league season.
His dream is to get his youthful team promoted into the country’s elite league. CUMA is based in Kadoma, a small mining town which is 130km from the capital city, Harare.
Eiffel Wildcats were the last team from the small mining town to play in Zimbabwe’s top-flight league before they were relegated in 2005. And Malajila, who co-owns the academy with his friend Herbert Manyowa, wants to break the jinx by getting promoted to the elite championship.
“It has been good. Everyone has ambitions, especially in football. The boys are still young. I have players with an average age of 21, which means they don’t have exposure. So we are working on giving them exposure as we aim to get into the PSL,” Malajila told FARPost.
“We don’t lose much, we have many draws, and we are moving on the right trajectory. My goal is to take them where we have never been or where have been.
“My message to them every day is that they must believe as long as they see me alive because I came from the same conditions, so they must know that impossible is nothing in life.”
Most CUMA players are Under 21s, and the aim is to carve them out to the top-flight and beyond.
Kadoma is renowned for producing top players that include Malajila himself, Sekhukhune United coach Kaitano Tembo, former Baroka player Rodwell Chinyengetere and former Legia Warszawa defender Herbert Dick among others.
And it is the academy’s hope to revive the Kadoma football vibe while also resurrecting Kadoma’s football legacy from the doldrums.
“When we started, they were under 12, and we moved up because they showed potential every year, and we are getting better slowly.
“They boys have grown. They now play in the first and second divisions. My ambition at this stage is to bring back the premier league to Kadoma and send players to bigger teams in and out of Zimbabwe.
“Whatever is happening now in the league is pleasing, and we have a goal, but at the moment, our eyes are on preserving our slot in the Northern Region,” he added.
