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Sports Correspondents
MORALE is reported to be at its lowest ebb at ZIFA Eastern Region Division One League log leaders Buffaloes Juniors Football Club following revelations that the team will sell its franchise upon promotion in the premier soccer league next season.
According to reliable sources within the club, it is alleged that the team will sell the franchise to one of the named three clubs that are said to have shown interest in buying the Buffaloes Juniors franchise.
The named clubs are Gunners, owned by popular prophet Walter Magaya. The inside source told Post Sport that the deal is around $80 000.
The other team that has been named as having interests in Dongo FC, another name for Buffaloes, is Premier Soccer League relegation-bound Triangle FC. The deal is said to be around $70 000.
Then Masvingo United, owned by prominent transport operator Mhunga, is also alleged to be interested in the deal that is around $60 000.
The sources added that in the event that the team is promoted the money will be shared among two executive members in the team who are said to be very close relatives to the club owner, Francis Dongo.
The move has irked the players and some officials within the club.
“The players and officials who have been playing the game will get nothing at all. This is not sportsmanship,” said an official within the club who requested anonymity.
He said: “We thought that we were doing it for the football lovers in Rusape and Manicaland as a whole in order to enjoy Premier League soccer, but, we have realised that someone was actually using us to make money by selling the franchise when we get promoted.”
Added the official: “This is very unfair. We have been working so hard to make sure that we get promoted, but, it is sad that the team will be sold. It’s better to have another team from Manicaland be promoted. We do not want this in football.”
A senior player who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation said: “Yes, we have heard that the team will be sold if we win promotion. This is very unfair to us because we have been dedicating our efforts to playing matches so that we get promoted, but with this arrangement it shows that we have been used.”
He added: “I thought this was our chance as players to play soccer at the highest level in the country. It was going to be an opportunity for us to be recognised and play even abroad, but with this arrangement our dreams are doomed.”
Other players interviewed said the move was likely to affect the team’s performance.
Football fans have also condemned the move describing it as “selfish and deplorable.”
Said Fungai Chizana, a soccer fan from Rusape: “We thought it was our chance for Rusape to have our own team in the Premier League. This was going to be good for us as football lovers in Manicaland as we would have two teams in the league considering that Buffaloes will not be relegated. We do not want this kind of selfishness. It is unfair for the players who have been winning the matches.”
Contacted for comment Buffaloes Juniors owner Dongo on Wednesday dismissed the rumours.
“This is my first time to hear about such rumours. I am not aware of this. Actually help me make it clear that I am not selling my franchise. I want it to benefit the community and bring more premier football action to Manicaland,” said Dongo.
He said no football club had ever approached him about buying his franchise. Dongo said Buffaloes Juniors would remain in Rusape unless a financier built a ZIFA-approved football field in Nyanga which is where the team originated.
“I have been actually planning on calling up interested stakeholders who want to come on board and help finance the team next season if we win. Never has the thought of selling the club ever crossed my mind,” said Dongo.
The ZIFA Eastern Region administrator, Tedious Machawira, was not available for comment by time of going to press on Wednesday as his mobile phone was not reachable.
Online Reporter