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THE poor state of the country’s football stadiums was back in the spotlight this week after the Premier Soccer League revealed that only six football venues in the whole country were fit to host top-flight league matches.
The situation does not look good, with only one week before the 2023 league fixtures go full swing. One wonders how all the 18 PSL teams are going to cope with the limited number of stadiums available.
It is a crisis. A deep crisis!
The only stadiums eligible for top-flight football action at the moment are the National Sports Stadium, Baobab, Barbourfields, Gibbo, Luveve and Mandava.
Most of the grounds that had been proposed by the clubs to be their home grounds either failed to meet the minimum requirements or, as in the case of the PSL newcomers like Simba, Sheasham and GreenFuel, are yet to reach completion.
Vengere stadium in Rusape and Gweru’s Ascot have since been written off for this season while there is hope for Sakubva Stadium in Mutare, ZPC Kariba’s Nyamhunga, the GreenFuel Arena in Chisumbanje, Simba Bhora’s Wadzanai stadium in Shamva, the Colliery Stadium in Hwange and Bata Power Stadium in Gweru that is being renovated by newboys Sheasham.
Harare City Council have also started renovations at Rufaro Stadium and giants Dynamos, who had been yearning to play their home games at the Mbare venue, are keeping their fingers crossed.
The availability of Rufaro this season will help ease the fixture congestion. Currently there are six teams in Harare that will be jostling for space at the one venue – the National Sports Stadium.
All the stadiums in Manicaland could not make the grade after the preliminary round of inspections and this would mean Manica Diamonds, who used Sakubva as their home ground, and newboys GreenFuel have to work on alternative ground, depriving the people in the province of Premiership football.
Of all the country’s major cities, only two cities – Harare and Bulawayo – have functional stadiums.
A great number of stadiums that once hosted domestic top-flight football currently lie in ruins and with no hope of ever hosting PSL matches.
It is not only in Harare where the local authorities have been found wanting when it comes to stadium maintenance. Apart from Rufaro, which is currently being refurbished, there is Gwanzura, Dzivaresekwa, Rudhaka in Marondera, Mucheke in Masvingo, Maglas in Zvishavane, Beitbridge’s Dulibadzimu, Mbizo and Torwood in Kwekwe, Rimuka in Kadoma, Chibuku Stadium in Chitungwiza and Chegutu’s Pfupajena, among many others.
The most disappointing thing about the stadium crisis gripping the country is that the football leadership and the clubs that are playing victim, are always folding their hands whenever the subject is discussed.
It appears like these guys have nothing to do with stadiums, their core business is just playing football. But where do they think they will play the game if they excuse themselves from the stadium issue?
We have clubs that have been playing at this level for many years, including giants Dynamos and CAPS United, and, alas, they do not even own a simple piece of land for training purposes, let alone playing league matches.
One wonders if our clubs are really serious at all with football, which has transformed into a big business worldwide. In other countries, clubs enter into partnerships to build their own stadiums or acquire lease agreements for use of stadiums, which they maintain to the standards that spur on growth and development.
That is why CAF and FIFA are promoting the issue of infrastructure among the key aspects of licensing. But this idea has not been embraced by Zimbabwean football clubs.
Imagine Highlanders will be celebrating 100 years of existence in three years’ time, but they still rent a ground for their home matches at Barbourfields.
Dynamos, who turned 60 years this year, still do not have a simple training ground they call their own. CAPS United in their 40 years are also in the same predicament. They just do not have the vision and the drive.
Even when the Harare City Council is laying a political card in turning down Dynamos’ sponsors Sakunda Holdings from renovating Rufaro to world class standards, still the Glamour Boys cannot help but cry victim.
This is the price the domestic football clubs are paying for folding their hands when it comes to stadiums. They just leave everything in the hands of the local authorities, who are the owners of most of these stadiums.
But is football their priority that they should channel the first dollar to the stadium renovations? No, they have many other pressing issues like provision of clean water, refuse collection, community health, housing and public works.
So if the football people do not take the initiative, very soon the whole country will not have a functional stadium fit for top-flight football.
ZIFA, PSL and the football clubs should not just wake up and start demanding the provision of the facilities.
A good example has been set by champions FC Platinum at Mandava stadium, Ngezi Platinum’s Baobab and Gibbo in Triangle. These teams have taken an active approach and they do not have problems when it comes to match venues that meet the required standards.
Newly-promoted teams like Simba Bhora, GreenFuel and Sheasham have also shown their established peers the way.
These three teams have just been promoted for the first time and already they have invested good fortune in stadium renovations. What can stop Dynamos, Highlanders or CAPS United from looking for reputable partners to do the same?
Domestic football leadership has been a big let-down and they need to wake up from their slumber.
Online Reporter