Manicaland Juniors of Excellence Academy (MAJESA) vice-chairperson, Donald “Azurrie” Manhende says modern technology is one of the factors behind the lack of interest in football by Ama2000, that is, children born after the year 2000.
Speaking in a recent interview with The Manica Post, Manhende said successful footballers should return to their communities to inspire youngsters.
The Mutare-based player-coach believes the gate charges at stadiums for the rest of the ground, currently US$3 is too high and authorities should slash the fee to US$1.
He said years back, teenagers used to play football in the streets because there were limited forms of entertainment. Said Manhende:
Back then we only had three entertaining activities in swimming, cinemas and football. So these days due to modern technology, a lot of things are considered modes of entertainment.
Also, our local successful players are rarely coming back to the community even when they are free to inspire the youngsters.
If you look at Aston Villa’s Marvellous Nakamba and the way he is doing things definitely inspires ghetto youths, so almost every kid wants to play soccer through Nakamba’s visit to the ghettos.
Because of that, they now believe that soccer is life. We no longer have children playing the homemade plastic ball as we no longer have recreational areas where we used to gather and play football. We also have to appreciate that football is now boring.
Teams are now just focusing on getting the three points even out of nothing unlike long back when a passing game and skills display were the major priorities. The entry fee of US$3 to the stadia is too high, at least US$1 is fair.
I still think there is something missing in the analysis, soccer is professional and one can earn a living from. If you look in the present situation in our country what are players getting from playing football?. What is happening after their carrier has ended, you feel sorry for them. There is no parent who want to see his child to be in such a situation. Address this and you will see what happens next. I suggest you make a thorough research and what you have now is just the surface of it.