Delta bring football cheer

THE announcement by Delta Beverages that their Castle Lager brand will be the title sponsors of the Premier Soccer League has sent the domestic football family into delirium, writes Eddie Chikamhi.
The league has been struggling without a sponsor for the past two years and a number of the people who spoke to The Herald yesterday were relieved that a sponsor had come on board.
The unveiling ceremony in the capital brought together a wide spectrum of football personalities, who included administrators and yesteryear players from the 1970s up to the new millennium.
Below is what some of them had to say about the sponsorship.
Farai Munetsi, Dynamos Chairman
“It’s a welcome intervention from Delta Beverages because clubs were collapsing under difficult conditions. Right now if you look at it, we are starting the preparations for the new season from zero in our budgets and some of us are also taking part in the Champions League which is quite an expensive undertaking. This means that we should begin by borrowing. But if we had prizes from the previous season, then we would have somewhere to start from.”
Agent Sawu, former Warriors’ star
“This is a positive development for our football which desperately needed sponsorship. With such corporate support coming along, our football will only improve because there is something to play for. I believe Delta Beverages have just opened the gates for other companies to come on board. We need this and obviously players will be motivated knowing that they will be getting something at the end.”
Adam Ndlovu, former Warriors’ star
“This is good news since the Premiership has been struggling to get a sponsor for the past two or so years. It’s a big boost to the spirit of football and I guess there will be much competition, which also helps develop our national team.”
George Shaya, football legend
“Delta Beverages are coming back after a long time but the most important thing is to look back and see why they had pulled out in the first place. The corporate world has not been forthcoming because the administration of the game has been questionable. The sponsors, like any other business, want to promote their brand and if they are to sell their brand in football then you need to have a clean bill. No more squabbles should be entertained henceforth. But I am also concerned. It’s quite commendable that we have sponsors for the senior teams but what is happening with the juniors, where football begins? What is in store for them? The football leadership should also do something for the grassroots.”
Eric Rosen, Motor Action director
I don’t think there is anything better at the moment than having a branded Premiership. We are very happy as Motor Action with this development and we are grateful to the sponsors for coming on board. But football everywhere has always been a controversial game throughout the ages. It’s everyone’s duty to guard against this but football has its controversies and our sponsors should understand and be tolerant to some of the things. It’s part of football. However, when such things happen, the football leadership should always try to handle this in a professional manner and in a way that does not drag the name of the sponsor in the mud.
Joseph Mukoki, Monomotapa chairman
“We at Monomotapa welcome the sponsorship with both hands. I am sure all the clubs share the same sentiments because we are coming from zero and now we have a new season waiting. But whether the package is sufficient or not, the important thing at the moment is to cherish what we have. Since the sponsor has promised to prolong the relationship, hopefully improvements will come along the way.
The money is one thing and protecting the sponsor’s brand is another. It’s important that the image of the game is kept intact. And, on how to distribute the money, I would rather have the money shared equally among the clubs before the beginning of the season as starting capital and reserve something for the winners as prize money. I am also of the idea that we should try to limit the prize money and much of it go towards helping the clubs meet their operational costs.”