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CAF have spoken, Barbourfields Stadium is the only stadium fit for purpose in Zimbabwe. It only requires a few tweaks and it will be ready to host international matches.
The residents of Bulawayo are ready to welcome all international football guests and they are more than ready to show Zifa that they can cheer the Warriors to victory like Harare.
The ball is in the court of the Bulawayo City Council (BCC) and noises from city hall indicate that the city fathers are more than ready to cough up the money required to give the iconic stadia a refurb.
While the stadium is not looking tired and worn down like its Harare sisters, Rufaro Stadium and the National Sports Stadium, there is no doubt that it needs upgrading.
The Chronicle reported last week that the BCC is aware of what needs to be done, Caf only reminded them. The city fathers and mothers are conducting a large-scale strategic review of their biggest and most beautiful football infrastructure.
Reports are that they are likely to hire external expertise to work on recommendations of the Caf stadium inspection team for Barbourfields Stadium, as the local authority lacks in-house skills to meet some of the requirements.
It is pleasing that BCC director of housing and community services, Dictor Khumalo, is confident.
While BCC are working on how to go about giving the majestic stadium a facelift they should start doing what is within their abilities now. Starting with maintaining and improving the pitch condition and making sure that its surface is green and marked clearly in white.
You don’t need outside help to replace the goalposts with in-field goalposts which are easily removable. The council can also afford spare goalposts which Caf said must be available for quick installation. It is also within the powers of the city council to ensure that the two covered benches are at pitch level.
We don’t know much about the condition of the floodlights at Emagumeni, but we are pretty sure that if the missing bulbs are replaced the floodlights Lux capacity will be according to the Caf CL match requirements.
Surely the city council can provide a uniform signage system around the stadium to facilitate entry or exit of people. Clear adequate signposts to guide spectators to their sectors are not a requirement beyond the capabilities of the local authority. Even the installation of stadium specific signage from media entrance to all the various facilities for the media and signage around the medical facility and throughout the stadium to notify supporters is within their abilities.
The addition of “five individual seated toilets” in the dressing rooms, a massage table in each dressing room, a tactical board (white board/flip chart with pens) as well as good ventilation or air-conditioning at Barbourfields Stadium is a doable assignment.
Bulawayo will be put on the market as football tourists will make their way to the city to back their national teams when they face our beloved Warriors.
We therefore say to BCC, don’t mess this up.
Online Reporter