Justin and Matabeleand FC are hoping to achieve their lifelong dreams of playing and competing in the CONIFA world cup. The world cup will take place in London, 2018. The dream of playing at the world cup is not achievable without the help of donations and crowd founding. The donations will help towards paying for visa's and flights for the squad and coaches.
Justin and Matabeleland have been funding the campaign by selling replica Matabeleland football shirts. Although many shirts have been sold the team are still a long way off reaching their $20,000 target.
If you wish to support Justin Walley and the Matabeleland team the just giving page is in the link below:
https://www.gofundme.com/send-matabeleland-to-london
Justin and Matabeleland have been funding the campaign by selling replica Matabeleland football shirts. Although many shirts have been sold the team are still a long way off reaching their $20,000 target.
If you wish to support Justin Walley and the Matabeleland team the just giving page is in the link below:
https://www.gofundme.com/send-matabeleland-to-london
Q. Coming from England how did you become the manger of an African side?
A. I had been coaching in Latvia for a few seasons with two teams in the Second Division as well as a women's Premier League team. I also helped run Riga United FC as a board member for five years and as their Club Secretary for two seasons. This had completely taken over my life and I needed a change of scene. In places like England, coaching is so competitive and saturated with people. I would be a very small fish in a huge lake. In some parts of the world, it is quite the opposite; clubs are crying out for European coaches with experience and passion. As crazy as it perhaps sounds. I worked for the Craig Bellamy Foundation in Sierra Leone in 2013 and have travelled to something like 15 African countries, which helped demonstrate that I wouldn't struggle in an at-times challenging environment. Through my CONIFA connections, I became aware that Matabeleland were looking for help in their development plans. Q. Before becoming the manager of Matabeleland did you have a background in football? A. I was part of a three-man delegation from the Football Supporters Association that travelled to the USA FIFA World Cup. We wrote a report for the FSA and the FA outlining all the things we felt the Americans did well and did badly, with many recommendations for Euro 96 in England. In 1996, I became the Assistant Director for Euro 96 for the city of Nottingham. That was a brilliant experience. I met the great Eusebio and got to hang out with Stuart Pearce a few times. I also did my FA Preliminary Badge that same summer. I applied for a number of jobs after that and was confident of getting a decent role. Most clubs told me they only wanted a woman as their marketing director as they were better at selling and looked prettier. |
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Q. How does the football and culture of African football compare to that of the English game? A. In Africa football is life. In many African countries it seems like every single male aged 5 to 45 plays football.Africans play anywhere at any time with anything remotely resembling a football. The general technical ability and fitness of African players is on a different planet from most other parts of the world. But pitches and facilities are usually dire. And coaches don't get the chance to better themselves with courses. Every day in Africa I see young footballers who amaze me in their technical ability. Only last week I saw some lads playing in the Zimbabwean Third Division who would embarrass seasoned pros in Europe with some of their ball control and pace. Q. What are your aims and ambitions with Matabeleland? A. To get the team to London. Once that is achieved, everything else for me personally is a bonus: our first game, first goal, first victory, first clean sheet. Of course I want us to get out of the group and of course I want us to win the tournament. For that to happen, absolutely everything would need to fall into place for us. But football can be cruel or it can deliver the unbelievable. Denmark Euro 92, Greece 2004, Leicester City. You just never know. This is not a one off for Matabeleland. There will be a CONIFA African Cup and future World Football Cups to qualify for. Women's WFCs also, I hope. It is a development project that goes way beyond London. |
Q. I have seen that you are selling replica kits in hope to fund your teams dream of playing in the CONIFA World Cup, could you speak more about this?
A. We need upwards of $20,000 to get the squad of 23 plus a couple of the coaches flights and visas for the UK. It is a tiny budget considering what we are trying to do. We don't have sponsors so all of the money is coming from crowdfunding. Paddy Power very kindly ran a kit design competition for Matabeleland on social media and the winning shirt (pictured) is a bit of a beauty. The margin isn't massive but each of these shirts we sell helps us get nearer to our target. The shirt can be bought on our crowdfunding page: https://www.gofundme.com/send-matabeleland-to-london
We will be getting in touch with those who have bought a shirt to organise the size they need and delivery. We also have other donation options on the site such as sponsoring a player's visa and even training with the team for one session during the World Football Cup. With Bruce Grobbelaar as our goalkeeper coach it is an opportunity to hang out with a football legend for an hour or two.
A. We need upwards of $20,000 to get the squad of 23 plus a couple of the coaches flights and visas for the UK. It is a tiny budget considering what we are trying to do. We don't have sponsors so all of the money is coming from crowdfunding. Paddy Power very kindly ran a kit design competition for Matabeleland on social media and the winning shirt (pictured) is a bit of a beauty. The margin isn't massive but each of these shirts we sell helps us get nearer to our target. The shirt can be bought on our crowdfunding page: https://www.gofundme.com/send-matabeleland-to-london
We will be getting in touch with those who have bought a shirt to organise the size they need and delivery. We also have other donation options on the site such as sponsoring a player's visa and even training with the team for one session during the World Football Cup. With Bruce Grobbelaar as our goalkeeper coach it is an opportunity to hang out with a football legend for an hour or two.
Social Media Accounts:
@JustinWalley10
@MatabelFootball
@JustinWalley10
@MatabelFootball
Any Images or information used have been used with permission of Justin Walley