Zimbabwe academy set for assessment stint at Sporting Lisbon  |

Legends Academy of Zimbabwe is set for a weeklong training and assessment stint at Sporting Lisbon, where they expect to clinch a long-term partnership with the Portuguese Primera Liga giants.

Denzel Washington Mapuwa, in the books of Luke Petros’ Castle Lager Premier Soccer League outfit, WhaWha, headlines the list of 18 Under 17 players travelling to Portugal on the 24th of September.

Academy founder and coach Farai Dhliwayo is excited ahead of their first-ever trip to Europe and its prospects.

Long-term partnership

Dhliwayo told FARPost that he expects his budding players to make the grade during the training and assessment camp and possibly seal a long-term partnership.

“We are going to Portugal, Sporting Lisbon, on the 24th of September and we will spend a week in the training and assessment.

“So ideally, this is a full training camp where all our players will be assessed. The idea is to expose them to the highest standards of football. Sporting Lisbon is like the Manchester United of Portugal. They are happy and in a good mood.

“When I started the academy, the idea that pushed me is to produce players that will go as far as Europe, not only players that reach their ceiling in Africa.

“At this stage, the players here have spent at least five years in our ranks, so they now understand what we are aiming at. They know our targets and what they might get in the future.

“When we started seven years ago, some of them were nine years old, but today they are around 17 and 18.

“It’s like a plant; you have to be patient with it, water it and make sure it grows well until you reap your rewards,” he said.

Emulating Bill Antonio

According to their arrangement with Sporting Lisbon, players that make the grade during the training and assessment might be immediately absorbed into the system.

And the rest of the players will be given another chance to be assessed after two years when they are 19.

“The trend is to make sure that we mould players that are mature for any level. These are Under 17s, and we will certainly not put pressure on them, but we will do everything to improve them.

“If all goes well, after this training and assessment camp, some might make it to be integrated into the club’s juniors, and some will get another chance to be assessed at the age of 19,” Dhliwayo added.

Dhliwayo is motivated by Bill Antonio’s recent move to Belgian side KV Mechelen, with high hopes that his players emulate the 20-year-old.

Legends Academy has been carving out fine players in Zimbabwe, and they have now set sights on spreading their wings to produce quality players that advance to play in Europe.

Some of their products include ex-Cape Town City attacker Douglas Mapfumo who now plies his trade for ZPC Kariba in the Zimbabwean premier league.

The pair of Calum English Brown and Dibbellar Mapuwa on loan at WhaWha have been exceptional under the tutelage ex-Kaizer Chiefs striker Luke Petros despite the club’s struggles.