English Premiership scouts jet into Zimbabwe

Representatives from English Premiership sides West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United are expected to jet into the country this afternoon for a two- week talent identification mission at Harare's Manhingi Academy.

Paul Andre Gibbons, an ex- West Brom coach now based in the United States, will be joined by West Ham's Mike Miller for a junior development tournament in the Zimbabwean capital at the weekend.

Manhingi Academy director Gladyman Dimbiri facilitated the project, which will run under the theme "Soccer to Educate."

Dimbiri, who is based in the UK, arrived home on Sunday.

"We are inspired by the fact that we have a lot of untapped talent but often lacking exposure to make it to the top," Dimbiri told the Daily News yesterday.

 "Secondly, our national team hasn't been performing well of late and we believe that providing the guys with an international exposure of this magnitude will in turn help the nation when these guys are selected to play for their respective age-group teams."

The Glen View-based Academy is slowly making inroads into the European destinations. The Academy is renowned for unearthing former Prince Edward schoolboy Tinotenda Chibharo, who captains the Under-21 side of Barclays Premiership champions Manchester City.

The well-travelled Gibbons is a respected football scout and top talent spotter who in an interview last year, described Africa as a "vast, untapped area for Premier League clubs."