Mliswa Vows To Make Zimbabwean Football A Multi-million-dollar Industry
Former ZANU PF Mashonaland West chairman Temba Mliswa has entered the race for the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidency, vowing to revolutionise the country’s most popular sport.
In an interview with The Manica Post, Mliswa criticized the stagnation of Zimbabwean football, attributing it to years of poor administration and corruption.
He promised to overhaul the system and transform football into a multi-million-dollar industry. Said Mliswa:
There should be transparency, accountability, and professionalism, and the sport has to be owned by the people, not individuals.
It has to go back to being a family sport where all families go and watch football during weekends. We want to turn football into a multi-million-dollar industry in the country because that is where it is globally.
We cannot have a situation where individuals put money into the game, as no one has enough money to fund the game, but it can generate its own money.
There is a need to incentivise corporates to put money into football, but it requires to be well branded and have a good image.
The face of football must change, it should be of people who are professional, passionate, knowledgeable and can implement and execute proper administration. The game is in need of new faces.
Mliswa said former players must have a role to play in the administration of football in Zimbabwe. He said:
Former players must have a role to play in the administration of the game. We are going to look into the issue of television rights, just like what South Africa has successfully done. Why don’t we have our own as well?
There are big companies that are willing to partner football. ZIFA is in need of efficient administrators who will turn things around.
I will be the link between Parliament and Government because I have worked with them before and I understand Statecraft. I am an advocate against corruption and there is no way I will tolerate it under my watch.
Look at the way FIFA has transformed the game around the world, gate takings are no longer the only source of income for sporting teams.
Stadiums must be full every game, and they only become full when young people are accompanied to matches by their teachers. They then start falling in love with the sport.
The national budget must prioritise sports in general and football in particular. There must be a national strategic plan for football, and at this moment, I cannot give it out because it must come from the people, and this plan must be grassroots-driven from the village to the national level.
We must engage the academia and let them come up with findings on what we need to do to improve our sport.
Mliswa brings extensive experience in football administration, having held several key positions throughout his career.
He served as the former chairman of Dynamos FC and was the fitness coach for the Warriors when they won their first COSAFA Cup in 1997.
He also played a pivotal role as the fitness coach for the 1996 Caps United team which achieved significant success.
During his time in Parliament, Mliswa chaired the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sports and Recreation, where he gained valuable insights into the sport’s challenges and potential.
Mliswa was instrumental in reviving Mhangura FC and has organised various football tournaments in Karoi and Norton, further demonstrating his commitment to the development of the sport at all levels.
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