Fabisch academy to be launched

A school of football in honour of the late former Zimbabwe coach Reinhard Fabisch is to be launched in the capital tomorrow.

Despite failing to qualify for either the African Cup of Nations and the World Cup, Fabisch and his famed Dream Team that had some of the finest crop of players to play for the Warriors, held the nation spellbound with some memorable performances.

Fabisch died in his native Germany after a long battle with cancer.

But that was not before the German coach, a popular figure in the Zimbabwean football family had expressed a wish to set up an academy in Zimbabwe.

Germany ambassador to Zimbabwe Albrect Conze, a close friend of Fabisch's had indicated earlier this year that that they were looking at establishing a School of Excellence under the former Warriors coach's name.

"I spoke to Fabisch when he was already not feeling well and he said if he recovered he would want to come back to Zimbabwe and form an academy that would cater for boys.

"His friends have decided to carry on with this idea,'' said Conze then.

Tomorrow, the German ambassador is expected to grace a Press conference at the Renaissance Merchant Bank's Renaissance Park in Borrowdale for the launch of that academy.

During Fabsich's era with the Warriors the senior team showed a lot of battling qualities when beating such giants as Cameroon, Guinea and Egypt at the National Sports Stadium which they had turned into a fortress.

Built around the exploits of Peter Ndlovu, then turning out for Coventry City, Fabisch's Dream Team had an array of talented players who included former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar, Ephraim Chawanda, the late Francis Shonhayi, John Phiri, Vitalis Takawira, and the late Mercedes Sibanda.

Black Mambas technical adviser Madinda Ndlovu was one of three Ndlovu brother in the side together with Peter and Adam while the likes of Norman Mapeza, Paul Gundani, Henry McKop, Willard Mashinkila-Khumalo, Rahman Gumbo, Brenna Msiska and Agent Sawu also featured in that side.

Now Fabisch's friends are hoping they can nurture the talent abundant in the country and produce a future Warriors side that could even surpass the exploits of the late coach's Dream Team.