daniel chigunwe
Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS expatriate technical manager Baltemar Brito has said the poor state of some football stadiums in the country is disrespectful to the spectators who pay their hard-earned money to watch entertaining football.Brito, who recently complained about Baobab when they played Ngezi Platinum Stars, was speaking yesterday ahead of the trip to Gweru where they face Whawha at Ascot tomorrow.
The Portuguese coach said fans always expect entertaining football but the state of the stadiums makes it difficult for teams to express themselves.
“Before I start talking about the next match, I would like to give a suggestion to the people that belong to the federation of football here to care more about the football fields because I am told the stadium where we are going to play in Gweru is not so good.
“So this is one point that sometimes is hard to work on with teams. Even for the staff of the teams, we all should care about the fields where have hope to get good practice and where we give the fans a good game of football.
“We are working for the fans and if we are working for the fans we should try and give them good football. So if the field is not good, we are not promoting football here and we are not respecting the fans that are coming to the games.
“We are concerned about the football fields because we understand a good field promotes good players. We care about the fields because we are together in this project of our believed football in Zimbabwe,” said Brito.
The expat coach has had a promising start to life with the Bulawayo giants. His concerns came as ZIFA has banned use of Sakubva Stadium for the next three weeks because of the deteriorating conditions.
The ban is to allow for upgrading of the pitch which has deteriorated to unacceptable levels.
All matches will be played at Vhengere Stadium in Rusape for the period of rehabilitation.
Sakubva stadium is a home ground for Mutare’s top premier league teams Manica Diamonds and Tenax and is also used by army sides Black Rhinos and Cranborne Bullets.
Fixtures
Tomorrow:
ZPC Kariba v Cranborne Bullets (Nyamhunga, 1pm), Bulawayo City v Tenax (Barbourfields), Ngezi Platinum Stars v CAPS Utd (Baobab), Harare City v Triangle (NSS), Whawha v Highlanders (Ascot), Manica Diamonds v Herentals (Vengere)
Sunday:
Bulawayo Chiefs v Chicken Inn (Luveve), Dynamos v FC Platinum (NSS), Black Rhinos v Yadah (Vengere)
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