Marshall Gore, an aspiring ZIFA presidential candidate, has identified the Government as a key player in developing football in Zimbabwe.
With over two decades of experience as a football agent, Gore said that there is a need for people who are passionate about football to be in leadership positions for the sport to grow in the country. Said Gore (via <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/gore-banks-on-govt-support/">The Herald</a>):
<blockquote>
My main reason for wanting to go for the president in the ZIFA elections is the pain we suffered as a country when we were suspended from international football.
I strongly believe that those problems could have been eliminated if we had people who had the game at heart.
So, I actually think that was a turning point for me, which led me to want to do this.
</blockquote>
Gore said that, once elected, he plans to make football an all-inclusive sport that will receive support from the Government. He said:
<blockquote>
We want to be in a position to say if the Government gives us a million dollars to put into grassroots football, we must demonstrate the dividend that will come out from that one million. What are the dividends?
We are looking at the targets. The targets will be making the sport inclusive, making sure that people in rural areas play football, and football is an agent for crime prevention…
Government should see the value of football. Gone are the days when the Government only came in to rescue the Warriors.
Why this happened is because the Government had a feeling that it’s not profitable to invest in football.
But we must submit a bankable business plan to them and have a contract with them. And then we move on to the private sector.
We want the private sector to come back into football. But we must clearly outline the deliverables if money comes to us.
So, we need to repackage the game and clearly position the private sector and show them the benefits that they will derive from sponsoring the game and clearly put the outcomes.
In the same vein, we must also engage the government to extend tax rebates to the companies that are loyal in supporting football development.
That is another way we can say to the Government, “Release tax rebates for companies that are investing in football.”
And then this can help us to also get revenue coming in so that we can effectively take off in growing the game.
</blockquote>
Gore has been travelling across the country, meeting with ZIFA councillors, and promising to empower them through various training programmes.

Pindula News

Marshall Gore wants to be the President of ZIFA. He thinks Government is important for football. He wants Government to give money for grassroots football. He also wants private companies to give money. He has plans to make football inclusive and prevent crime. He thinks Government should give tax rebates to companies that support football. Gore promises to help ZIFA councillors with training. He believes football in Zimbabwe can grow with support from the Government and private sector.

Aspiring ZIFA President, Marshall Gore, Identifies Government As Key Stakeholder In Football

The current fights within the corridors of power in Zimbabwe’s football have been condemned by the Chief Executive Officer of Team Zimbabwe UK, Marshall Gore.
Gore told Sport Brief from his United Kingdom base that the ongoing fights seem to be about money rather than to bring positive change to local football. He said:
<blockquote>My heart bleeds when I read (in the media) daily about the chaos that has become our football in Zimbabwe.
As the politics of destruction takes centre stage in football, the game continues to suffer from top to button.
In the last few weeks, the fight for power to control the game #ChinhuChedu (#OurThing) has bitterly intensified while at the same time Chinhu chirikuwora (the thing is rotting) and some of our hard work invested over the years is going to be wasted in vain.
As this circus continues the important questions remain unanswered. Where’s our vision in all this? What are we fighting for and to achieve what? Where is our national football development plan?
One wonders, is the fight about the hunger to bring change or to pocket change?</blockquote>
Gore also revealed that he was contacted recently by Libya’s football authorities who wanted a friendly match with the Warriors to be played in Tunisia. The Libyans undertook to pay all the Warriors’ expenses. He said:
<blockquote>A few days (ago) I got a phone call from the Libyan FA requesting for a friendly with Zimbabwe in preparation of the coming 2022 World Cup and Afcon 2021 Qualifiers.
They wanted to pay for all the expenses for a game in their temporary Tunisia base and I called Zifa forgetting that our National Team had been disbanded early last week.
Obviously, the opportunity has gone. Let’s hope we get it right when we reassemble again.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="http://sportbrief.co.zw/2019/08/21/zifa-crisis-worries-gore/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sport Brief</a></h4>

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