New Football Academy Born in Mzimba

By: Chisamba

Local Mzimba soccer fanatics have announced the establishment of another football academy barely few weeks after Surestream closed down.

The Malawi Star team’s visit to the Academy grounds near Mzimba Boma on Wednesday can establish that facilitators of the same are really into developing football from grassroots level.

In an interview with the Academy’s director Chiluzwa Malunga, he maintained that they are intend to train more young stars who later will be the pillars of strengthening the country’s national team.

“By next year, we should have about six stars featured in the national team. Our vision is perfecting soccer from the grassroots because we understand that without that, football will be dead in Malawi,” Said Malunga.

Currently they have secured enough training materials and employed some technical experts who will be mentors at the Academy.

However Malunga confessed that nobody has expressed readiness to sponsor the Academy thus it will be run from their own pockets.

“It is for this reason that we are asking all interested persons to donate MK 200.00 so that they can support the Academy,” he added.

On the other hand, Malunga urged stakeholders interested in developing football in the country to lend them a hand in running the Academy.

The Malawi Star understands the Academy will welcome children from the age of ten up to 25 who feel like developing their football as a career.

Interested blossoming soccer stars hailed the facilitators of the Academy for the initiative citing it will help them perfect their football skills.

James Nyirenda, 14 said he always had dreams to be a recognized soccer star beyond Frank Mhango (Gaba) but he was lacking the proper support.

“I believe that our national team is waiting for me to contest in the World cup and believe me, with the coming of this Academy, it won’t be long before I am the headline of your national sports story,” bragged James.

Meanwhile the Academy has no boarding facilities.