Veteran Coach and Junior Football specialist, Lloyd Mablanyo Chigowe addressing junior players at Zimbabwe Grounds on Saturday 19 July 2025
By Julius Idrissa Manganda
The Chairman of the Harare Provincial Junior League, Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe, has urged Zimbabwe’s top-flight league clubs to actively invest in scouting for young players in different academies if the nation’s football is to become more competitive on the international stage.
Mablanyo made the remarks on Saturday at the Harare Provincial Junior League Under-17 football tournament, where 20 junior teams battled for glory at the iconic Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield.
The tournament did not only showcased raw talent but also served as a crucial platform for scouts to identify players who will represent Harare in the upcoming U17 national team selection.
The veteran coach highlighted the glaring gap in youth scouting and development within Zimbabwe’s senior league structures.
“We need to improve a lot as a nation in terms of scouting, especially at the highest league. Not many coaches believe in playing young players,” said Mablanyo.
“If you look at big teams in the world, they all have scouts who watch their youth tournaments. But our clubs don’t have scouts who come and watch these youth tournaments,” he said.
Globally, top footballing nations have built their success on strong junior policies and trust in young talent. English Premier League clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal have long histories of developing young players who went on to become legends. The famed ‘Class of ‘92’ at Manchester United, for instance, produced stars like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes.
In Spain, clubs such as FC Barcelona have earned acclaim for their La Masia academy, which developed icons like Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi Hernández, who were trusted with first-team roles while still in their teens.
Locally, Moses Chunga’s bold project at Dynamos in the early 2000s remains a shining example. Chunga, himself a legend of Zimbabwean football, assembled a youthful Dynamos side that stunned critics by competing at the highest level and producing some of the finest talent in the country.
Mablanyo who has invested in junior development for many decades stressed that a similar mindset is needed today to build a pipeline that takes young players from grassroots tournaments to the Premier Soccer League and beyond.
Alongside calls for better youth development, the Junior League Chairman condemned the persistent scourge of age cheating in local football.
“Any coach and players found guilty will automatically be disqualified, and that team will lose points in the league,” Mablanyo warned.
Saturday’s action-packed one-day tournament proved just how competitive Zimbabwe’s junior football has become, with every knockout match pushing teams to their limits. Twenty junior clubs from across Harare Province were divided into four groups, battling fiercely for a place in the knockout rounds.
After an intense group stage, the top two teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinals, setting the stage for high-stakes clashes. Greenblood narrowly edged out Real Stars with a 1–0 win, Chitungwiza held their nerve to beat Cadship 5–4 on penalties, Young Stars secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Auto Academy, while Excel Academy booked their spot with a 3–0 penalty shootout win against Kuyamurana.
The semi-finals were equally dramatic. Greenblood and Chitungwiza could not be separated in regulation time, with Chitungwiza triumphing 4–3 on penalties. In the other semi-final, Excel Academy overcame Young Stars 4–2 on penalties after another stalemate.
The final turned out to be a true test of composure and resilience. Neither Chitungwiza nor Excel Academy could find the net in open play, but Excel Academy emerged champions after sealing a 3–1 victory in the shootout.
Beyond the goals and celebrations, the tournament was a clear testament to the wealth of raw talent bubbling under the surface of Zimbabwean football. However, as Chairman Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe and other coaches emphasised, this talent must be backed by robust structures and clear pathways from grassroots to senior football if the country hopes to reclaim its competitive edge on the continental stage.
