Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE has four football regions, the Southern, the Northern, the Eastern and the Central, all headed by six member boards. Two of the regions have already finished their marathon races, with two teams promoted while the other two will be concluding the season soon.

Whawha Prison won the right to the Premiership from Central Region with Tsholotsho coming right in the Southern Region. Buffaloes and Flame Lily are on course in the Eastern and Northern Regions respectively.

The Northern Region, led by former Premier Soccer League vice chairman Willard Manyengavana has been outstanding. Yes, the Musa Mandaza-led Southern Region board is also known to have held quite a number of meetings with corporates, finally clinching an LG Foods tournament a few months back.

Elected like all the other three chairmen, this year, Manyengavana hit the ground running, holding marathon meetings with the business community in and outside the country in pursuit of sponsorship for his league.

He even went as far as Japan to sign some memorandum of understanding as he sought to make a difference. Within months of assuming office, the Northern Region clinched a league sponsorship deal with Japan car importer, World Navi. His league also enjoys sponsorship from Supreme Panel Beaters as well as Yada TV.

Three sound sponsorships at a go must surely be a record for any chairman in the second tier league in Zimbabwe and one that deserves a pat on the back but Manyengavana refuses to take credit alone.

“Football is a team sport and I wouldn’t want to take credit as an individual because all this was a team effort,” said Manyengavana.

He said a lot of work was put in to lure sponsors into the league.

“We put in a lot of time as we hunted for a partner. We’d to sacrifice our personal time in an effort to make sure our league is branded and I believe our sweat was worth it,” said the former PSL second in charge.

To cap a fine debut year for the Northern Region, inaugural Soccer Stars of the Year were selected, a first in the second tier league.

The Soccer Star is set to walk away with a car, all courtesy of league sponsors, World Navi while also a trial stint in Japan’s J-League will be arranged.

“All this is done in an effort to bring some form of professionalism into our football. We’ve already started contract extension negotiations with our sponsors and we remain confident that our marriage will not end this year,” said Manyengavana.

It is for this great achievement that the Northern Region boss should and must be saluted by all fair minded football people.

Expectations are also high that when he attends Zifa Assembly meetings, his contribution is not just to rubber stamp what would have been said by the Zifa board leadership like what most councillors are known to do.

Other chairpersons must take a leaf from the Manyengavana led Northern Region board or even be humble enough and hold a round table meeting to learn from his executive.

“Professionalism is the way to go, my executive enjoys good and cordial relationships with the clubs and I believe the media has also played a big part in marketing our product which enabled us to attract sponsors,” said Manyengavana in his parting shot.

World Navi Zifa Northern Region Division One Soccer Stars of the Year finalists: Gift Phiri, Motion Mponda (Flame Lilly), Zivanai Mhanda, Tendai Mutandi (Mushowani), Enasio Peresu (Ngezi Platinum), Eddie Nyika (Commando), Bright Chayambuka (Twalumba), Convenience Hungwe (ZRP FC), Peter Rupiya (Seven Flames), Mcdonald Motsi (Gunners), Chamunorwa Kawondera (Blue Swallows).

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