Fungai Muderere
AFTER being granted permission to affiliate with Zifa Northern Region Division One League for the upcoming 2020 season, Green Eagles have vowed they will fly high and, in the process, surprise many of their opponents.
Eagles were given the green light to join the Northern Region Division One together with CUMA Academy after Cam and Motor and FC Prisons failed to comply with the league’s annual meeting resolutions.
Zifa Northern Region Division One League, through their marketing and administration officer Hastings Makunde, confirmed the development.
“We have brought the two sides on board after Cam and Motor and FC Prisons failed to comply with our annual meeting resolution to pay their affiliation fees in time,” said Makunde.
CUMA is a football outfit that is partly owned by ex-Warriors and Mamelodi Sundowns forward Cuthbert Malajila who reportedly works hand in glove with businessman Herbert Manyowa.
Golden Eagles are owned by media personality Barry Manandi who doubles up as the club’s chairman.
“We have accepted the invitation to be part of Zifa Northern Region Division One after coming out as the runners up in the Division Two B League. It’s an opportunity we intend to seize. We are here to learn, to teach but more importantly to surprise. Golden Eagles will fly high,” said Manandi.
Eagles and CUMA Academy will respectively represent Mashonaland West and Harare Provinces in the league. The former provides home to ex-Warriors and Highlanders speedy winger Joel Luphahla who took over from interim coach Phillip Sithole in early January.
Sithole delivered the Eagles to a second-place finish last season. Gilbert Mushangazhike was head coach of the Eagles before leaving halfway through the season.
Manyowa said they were ready to play in the league.
“We will see what the coaches will say, as an academy, our purpose is to develop talent,” he said.
In March, teenage sensation, Kelvin Chibunyu of Craneborne Bullets’, had a night to remember after he was crowned the Ruyamuro Northern Region Division One 2019 Soccer Star of the Year.
