Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
FORMER Young Warriors manager Eddie Chivero, has given the 20-team league idea proposed by Zifa a thumbs up.
However, he has warned that it should not be seen as if a certain team is being done a favour.
Zifa has, in the last week, proposed a 20-team league. They wrote to the Premier Soccer League with the proposal and the League will meet virtually next Wednesday to discuss the issue.
The idea drew mixed reactions, with many questioning the timing of the proposal at a time when Chicken Inn, Dynamos and Highlanders are struggling. The trio is in danger and their fate could be sealed on the final day of the championship, November 23.
“It is important to develop football. It must not be seen like we are trying to aid other teams,” warned Chivero.
The veteran administrator said Fifa had some years ago advised Zifa that it did not augur well for the game when a quarter of the League was relegated. Fifa had suggested an increase from 16.
“Fifa advised us during a seminar, Win In Africa with Fifa, that it was not healthy to relegate four teams, which was a quarter of the League, we were advised to increase to 20.
“Now that Zifa is talking about the idea, I do not see anything wrong. What we are worried about is when they say there will be no relegation. Without relegation, it amounts to a boozers league,” said Chivero.
“My suggestion would be for them to relegate Kwekwe United and the team which finishes 17th, number 15th and 16th should be involved in play-offs with teams that finished as runners up in the four regions. It would give the teams a fair chance to be promoted if they played in a six-team tournament to choose two,” said Chivero.
Chivero said it was a good idea to have a National Division One League, but the lack of sponsorship would make the idea hard to implement.
He said many teams did not have sponsorship to afford to play from Chipinge to Victoria Falls at that level. He bemoaned the lack of facilities, too.
He had a strong sentiment leaning towards the old North and South Division One League. He felt that 64 teams from four regions fighting for promotion was not doing football standards any good.
He said some footballing countries with bigger populations had just one promotional division of 16 teams, meaning quality was being promoted to play at the highest level.
Meanwhile, Chivero says there is no way Zimbabwe can change the football season here
He said Zimbabwe stadia tend to be waterlogged when it rains.
He blamed that on poor drainage.
He said that this was making it difficult for the season to be changed.
“There is no way we can change our season. Every time we have rain, our stadia get waterlogged, and it takes days to clear. If our stadia were like those in South Africa, where it takes about four or five minutes after the rains to clear, and the match is ready to be played, there is no way we can change and play during the rain season, unless we can change the rain season,” said Chivero.
Among the raft of changes is the season to align with the rest of the world from August to May.
It rains in the Zimbabwe summer and most stadia have no cover on the terraces and good drainage on the turf.
Highlanders had a poor crowd in their last match against Manica Diamonds because of the rain.
