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Paul Mundandi Sports Correspondent
CHAPUNGU coach John Nyikadzino has appealed to the corporate world to fund soccer at the grassroots level if Zimbabwe is to realise its hopes of one day qualifying for the Fifa World Cup.

Nyikadzino made the appeal during a BancABC three-hour soccer coaching clinic held at Mutendi High School in Masvingo on Wednesday.

The girls’ and boys’ teams were taken through their paces by Nyikadzino and his players as part of the bank’s corporate social responsibility.

BancABC sponsors Premiership defending champions Dynamos, Highlanders and Chapungu, and has been sponsoring coaching clinics at some schools in the country involving the three clubs.

“I’m appealing to corporates to sponsor soccer at grassroots levels. If we catch our players young, surely we can make it to the World Cup finals and become a permanent feature at the Africa Cup of Nations,” said Nyikadzino.

“The problem with most of the coaches in this country is that we normally teach 18-year-olds how to control the ball when we’re supposed to be teaching them tactics to beat opponents.”

Nyikadzino’s sentiments were also echoed by nomadic coach coach Moses Chunga.

“Zimbabwean coaches are always blamed for failure yet the problem lies with our system. Players should be nurtured whilst they’re young and I can’t be expected to teach a player how to control the ball,” said Chunga.

“I feel companies should do more at the grassroots and that will help us to improve our standards. Companies like Coca-Cola are playing a bigger role, but we still need more companies to pour money from primary level.”

BancABC also presented a branded soccer kit to the girls’ soccer team.

“Our bank is the main sponsor and our aim is to boost the students’ self-esteem by empowering them to reach full potential in sports,” said Rutendo Ruimbe, BancABC’s marketing officer.