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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
FC Platinum are looking to set the bar even higher for themselves despite their disappointing show in the just-ended CAF Champions League campaign.
The platinum miners finished bottom, for the second time on the bounce, in the group stages and the club’s leadership are worried by the lack of progress in Africa.
They have another campaign waiting for them in August.
But, before that, they have to contend with the start of the defence of their title at home where they have won the last three championships. Club chairman, Evans Mthombeni, said they were set to convene a meeting with the technical team, led by Hendrik De Jongh, to map the way forward.
“We roughly know what we are supposed to do. We have just played our last match of the campaign, which means that as an executive we need to sit down with the technical team to review the entire campaign,’’ he said.
“We can then see where there are gaps and how best we can plug the holes to improve our performance.
“Obviously, as a club, we cannot be talking of just competing. We want to, at least, be in the group stages.
“We want to look at how best we can ensure we are in the group stages again and once we are there, we are looking at progressing beyond that.
“We can’t be continuously talking of learning and learning. We have got to ensure that we improve and progress to the next stages of the competition so that we draw closer to attaining our vision, make our league bigger and even earn an extra slot for the domestic league.
“We need to ensure that come 2021, we will be talking of two Zimbabwean teams in the CAF Champions League and two in the Confederation Cup.
“That, on its own, will improve football in the country because once players get exposure at that level they will also have the guts to perform.’’
FC Platinum finished bottom of Group C, which was won by Tunisians Etoile du Sahel.
Egyptian giants, Al Ahly, got the other quarter-final slot ahead of Al Hilal of Sudan.
FC Platinum managed only one point from six games.
“In terms of our expectations, our initial objective was to reach the group stages, which we did so comfortably after beating UD Songo of Mozambique 5-2 on aggregate,’’ said Mthombeni. “We then reviewed our target to say, since we are in the group stages for the second time in a row, we need to look at how best we can go to the next stage, which is the quarter-finals and also try to better our performances compared to the previous edition when we amassed two points.
“Unfortunately, we fell short and only got one point. I can essentially say while we largely met our objectives, I don’t think we did well in this edition given that it was our second time in the group stages.
“We have lost valuable experience to our neighbours South Africa, Zambia and somewhat Tanzania. From where I stand, maybe, the areas that we need to look at is that our league has become a selling league.
“Even clubs in the relegation zone in South Africa can come and snap up our players.
“This means in terms of motivation, or remuneration, we are no longer as competitive in comparison to our neighbours, especially if you look into the past, when players used to flock from Zambia, Malawi to the Zimbabwean league.’’
Online Reporter