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Nkosizile Ndlovu, Sports Correspondent
FORMER Highlanders striker, Mkhokheli Dube has urged football authorities to honour junior players as part of encouraging the emerging stars to excel in the game.

Dube said there is a need to have prize money and an awards ceremony for junior teams instead of the leagues just ending and coming back to play again.

Speaking during his club, Zebra Revolution’s end-of-year awards in Sizinda, the former FC Platinum striker said naming an excelling team from across the sides in the league will improve the winning mentality in the young players.

“Reward for excelling is a good encouragement to go and improve yourself and get better. Having a medal and looking at it every morning can be an inspiration to young players so we call on Zifa to seek sponsorship for player awards and also reward the winning teams,” he said.

Dube, who spent several years playing in the United States, revealed they will soon be assisting players to secure scholarships to the US hence their training is not only focused on the pitch but outside the field as well in order to produce well-rounded players.

Mkhokheli Dube 

“Our vision is to create great players and great human beings at the same time. We teach players to play with humility but encourage them to do their best so they can go play abroad,” he said.

Speaking at the same event, Zifa Bulawayo chairman, Francis Ntuta said he was impressed with the work Zebra Revolution was doing in grooming youngsters and believes the club will make it to the Premier Soccer League in five years’ time.

Zifa Bulawayo chairman Francis Ntuta, committee member John Mutero with Dylan Nyoni Zebra Revolution Division Two Players’ Player of the Year

“In South Africa, we have Kaizer Motaung, who once played for Orlando Pirates but went on to form his side that rose to the top and here, we have Mkhokheli Dube who once played for Highlanders and I believe very soon we shall see his club competing at the top level with his former team,” said Ntuta, who was accompanied by Zifa Bulawayo Province committee member, John Mutero.