NIGEL ANDREW MASIMBA MUNYATI CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT: ZIMBABWE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Football is a Life I Live and Love! I am a full-time football administrator with a lifetime of passionate experience and expertise. I am running for the post of ZIFA Executive Committee President; and promise bring to Zimbabwe Football a passionate combination of skill, experience, dedication, and professionalism. Sport is a fundamental ingredient to a nation’s health, as it can help instil a sense of national pride and galvanise it in times of difficulty. Zimbabwe needs football. Our nation has endured a very challenging decade-and-a-half of political discord and economic strife that have left us with a low sense of personal and national esteem. I promise to play my part in redeeming the national soul through football, by implementing the following: 1 MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] 1. BOARD EFFECTIVENESS The outgoing ZIFA Board has been a failure. While in our individual capacities we may have performed to differing levels of effectiveness, the net result is that we have failed the nation and our beautiful game. The main reason for this failure has been poor leadership. Our Board failed to focus on instituting a strategic approach to managing the glaring needs and requisite and key success factors such as cleansing the Associations image, financial rescue and prudent financial management, professionalization of the Secretariat, implementation of a Junior Football Development programme, and securing a technical partnership for the national team kit and equipment. Instead we wasted precious time on pursuing issues of peripheral importance, such as cleansing the Secretariat of the old staff, and suspending Board Members considered disruptive to some individuals’ private agendas. 2 MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Our Board was fraught with a cancer characterised by indecisiveness, acrimonious infighting, and blindness, which cost the association dearly. Some of the values I will institute include: Strategic Thinking and Action, Decisiveness, Consistency, Honesty, and Fairness. 2. PROFESSIONALIZATION OF THE ASSOCIATION The Secretariat has perennially underperformed, and this has severely compromised the Association’s ability to deliver on its mandate. Creating an effective organisational structure and employing a team of competent staff supported by a firm but fair implementation of effective policies and procedures will be a top priority. Professionalization will also include: i. Strategic Management Since 2010, the current Board has flirted with the idea of a strategic plan but failed to create one. There is a management maxim that says: “If you do not know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Nothing could describe our board’s performance better. Because we lacked strategic vision, we ended up pursuing activities with limited effect on the Association’s performance, at the expense of those that would have. I will ensure that ZIFA embarks on a strategic planning exercise as soon as the new Board settles, and funding is secured. The process will not only be limited to the Board and Secretariat, but will include all levels. Each Affiliate will be required to participate in the process, and also create its own plans. ii. Staff Contracts: All ZIFA employees will be placed on annual contracts to ensure that numbers are commensurate with Association funding, and that retention is based on performance. iii. Decentralisation: To ensure that administrative support is more effective, I will encourage the Board/Council to introduce a structure that has two conferences; the Northern (Harare-based) & Southern (Byo-based) Conferences, each with a General Manager. iv. Engagement of Technical Partner/Kit Supplier Despite the Puma deal receiving FIFA support, the last Board refused to sign the contract, denying the Association an opportunity to earn a minimum of 3 MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] $500,000/year in replica sales. I will make the engagement of a Technical Partner/Kit Supplier to dress and equip all national teams one of the first actions of the new Board. v. Elimination of the Culture of Patronage Paid patronage is a cancer that is killing our beautiful game! This disease has undoubtedly compromised corporate governance, and caused football administrators around the country to lose sight of their obligations to developing Zimbabwe football, and tarnished the Association’s image. In my conversations with government officials, corporate leaders, or ordinary football enthusiasts around the country, the one comment they all make is “how will you compete against all the money that some candidates have splashed around the country?” My answer to them is: “I am confident that those who are visionary and truly love Zimbabwe football will choose ethics over money”. For how can you 4 MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] prosecute an 18 year-old young man for accepting $500 to influence the outcome of a match when you are receiving money to influence the outcome of an election? If we cannot see that the two are one-and-the same, then our football is doomed! 3. ELIMINATING THE DEBT ALBATROSS: Effective Financial Engineering ZIFA is virtually technically insolvent. The Association is carrying a debt of over $5 million that the current Board has failed to retire. This is because the Board never really gave time to tackling this issue. My Board will make the elimination of this indebtedness a top priority. One of the key strategies will be to break down the debt into its constituent parts, and tackle each part accordingly because each needs a unique solution (i.e. Kentaro, Coach, Vendors, Justice Ebrahim Ethics Committee, etc.). 4. THE PSL: Supportive Engagement All over the world, the core of Association football is the league (EPL, La Liga, Bundesliga, etc.). A strong League creates a will generate meaningful employment and income for thousands of Zimbabweans. So the Association must support the golden goose much more than it has done in the past. My Executive will do the following to support the PSL: 5 MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] a. League Sponsorship Together with the PSL Chairman I will lobby for wider and increased sponsorship of the League and competitions, including the FA Cup. b. Reduction/Removal of Levies Many clubs are facing severe financial constraints, and need to hold on to every cent they generate. I will motivate the Board to eliminate the 6% levy on gate- takings, and convince the SRC and government to reduce their levies. c. Eliminate International Transfer Levy According to FIFA Player Transfer Regulations Article 9.1: “Players registered at one association may only be registered at a new association once the latter has received an International Transfer Certificate (hereinafter: ITC) from the former association. The ITC shall be issued free of charge without any conditions or time limit. Any provisions to the contrary shall be null and void.” Whereas the Nyatanga-led Executive instituted a $1,000 administration fee, which would be fair, the 15% fee levied by the current Board is unrealistically excessive. d. ZIFA Participation in Broadcast Rights In doing the above, ZIFA will be giving up sources of income a situation that would be detrimental to an already financially distraught organisation. So ZIFA will participate in the SuperSport PSL broadcast rights and earn a set percentage. e. Terrestrial Broadcast of PSL matches The SuperSport Broadcast in 2013 was an excellent boost for the League. However it will enjoy greater success if the partnership is extended to ZBC. Parties will also benefit from advertising revenue generated. f. Health/Life Insurance Schemes Many illustrious players have died paupers, a sad situation that testifies to the Zimbabwe football’s failure. 5. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS: The ZIFA Corporate Partner Program ZIFA will design tiered corporate partner programmes, creating exclusive categories (Bank/Financial Service, Food & Drink, Mobile Telephone and Internet Service Providers, Vehicle Dealerships, Mining, Apparel, etc.). ZIFA will work closely with each sponsor to ensure maximum yield from their sponsorship/advertising expenditure, to ensure mutually beneficial partnerships. 6 MUNYATI: NIGEL, ANDREW, MASIMBA FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, ACES YOUTH SOCCER ACADEMY Mobile: +263 77 482-4183; E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] Part of this relationship will include corporate hospitality opportunities such as Premium Seating and Corporate Boxes. a. Stadium Marketing Zimbabwe’s stadiums belong to the last millennium, and are in urgent need of a ‘Facilities Upgrade’. ZIFA will engage both national and local government for a coordinated solution that would also include extending Naming Rights, such that corporates can brand them accordingly (e.g. FNB Stadium in SA, Emirates Stadium in UK, Gillette Stadium in USA, etc.). The local authorities will earn much needed revenue and eliminate, while ZIFA receives commission from the transactions. 6. RETURN OF THE FA CUP: Back to the Future Many Zimbabweans have memories of times gone by when minnows from the lower Divisions defeated a big name team. I will work to find sponsorship for this wonderful extension of league football. 7. ZIMBABWEANS IN THE DIASPORA: Reaching Out It is estimated that at least three million Zimbabweans live in the Diaspora. ZIFA will tap into this huge resource for talent, marketing, and financial support.