Chronicle Editor
Robson Sharuko in VICTORIA FALLS
DYNAMOS and Highlanders are sitting on a goldfield crying out for exploitation, which can help transform these two giants into thriving commercial beasts.
The country’s two biggest football clubs have found themselves at the crossroads, with their size and considerable appeal, among fans, no longer a guarantor of both success and survival.
They have been struggling to compete with the likes of FC Platinum and Ngezi Platinum, on a rapidly changing landscape, in which financial muscle is now a huge factor in the battles for glory.
Since the arrival of the Zvishavane club, in the domestic Premiership 10 years ago, Bosso are yet to win the league championship.
Dynamos needed a spectacular late rally, in 2011 to beat FC Platinum to the title by goal difference, before taking the next three championship races on the trot.
With three of their four league triumphs, within that period coming by virtue of having a superior goal difference, the signs were clear the opposition had caught up with the Glamour Boys.
Today, seven years after Callisto Pasuwa led them to their fourth title on the trot in 2014, where they also needed last-day drama to edge ZPC Kariba, DeMbare are yet to win the biggest prize on the domestic scene.
However, a transformational agent believes it’s not just about their failure to win the championships, which is worrying, but the poor state of their financial base.
While their mission should always be guided by the relentless pursuit of major trophies, the consultant also believes the two giants — with proper vision — should always have a solid financial base.
A review of their operations was, therefore, necessary for DeMbare and Bosso to help them ensure they can convert their huge potential into value, to enable them to confront today’s challenges.
Zwelibanzi Ndlovu, a leading transformational agent, has been tasked with laying the base for the two giants to emerge from their slumber and change the way they have been conducting their business.
The Bulawayo-based consultant is working in collaboration with Russell Mhiribidi, of the Zimbabwe Institute of Sports Leadership, on the project.
They have been engaged by Sakunda Holdings, the principal sponsors of Dynamos and Highlanders, who are desperate to see changes in the way the two giants conduct their business.
Scores of representatives of the two clubs are here in Victoria Falls, for a weeklong strategic review workshop, funded by Sakunda Holdings, to try and lay that foundation for the changes which the sponsors want to see.
Ndlovu believes that even if DeMbare and Bosso have questionable leaders, the sheer potential they have should be enough, if the right systems are in place, to ensure their yearly financial statements are in good shape.
Even in the seasons they don’t win trophies, which is possible in football, Ndlovu feels both clubs should still have impressive financial statements to report to their members.
The potential, which they have, needs to be harnessed into real value which should ensure they never find themselves being dragged towards the abyss of bankruptcy.
To achieve that, he said, the leadership at the two clubs need to understand their product, where to sell it and when and how to deliver it.
They need to review all their activities, which are aimed at generating new business, for both their existing and potential clients.
There is need for a deliberate move by the two giants, Ndlovu said, to ensure their camps proactively pursue the bringing in of new business, into their stables.
The consultant feels the current set-up, where the marketing arms at the two clubs are the ones with the smallest number of people, was not conducive for progress, in terms of improving their financial base.
There is need, he says, for the marketing departments to be properly resourced to ensure that experts, who have a proven track in generating new business, are brought on board.
Such experts should then be given targets, by the club’s leaders, with everyone pulling together in pursuit of those thresholds, to generate revenue for the two clubs.
They was also need to strengthen their channels of delivery to ensure provision of service, at the right time, quality and cost, to their clients.
Ndlovu believes that, with the right approach, both DeMbare and Bosso should have attained self-suffience, within the next two years. He said they should take full advantage of their current sponsors, who have come with a different mindset from their previous sponsors, with emphasis being placed on helping the two giants understand their potential.
Ndlovu believes it wasn’t good enough to just heap blame on challenges in the economy when statistics are showing people are spending on their tastes.
“The good thing is that there appears to be an appreciation of what we want to achieve,” Ndlovu said.
“The participants are showing a willingness to learn and also to challenge themselves and that is always a good sign.
“There are no egos here, at times the message has been blunt but they have embraced it well and that’s always a good sign.
“This is just the start and we will see how we can keep moving in the direction we believe could change the two clubs.”
Dynamos officials highlighted the challenges they face, including from those who sell counterfeit replicas, to the impact which Covid-19 has had on their plans.
However, they felt they will come out of the workshop with a different mindset which could help them confront the challenges which have been stalking their club.
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