‘Football must fund itself’

BULAWAYO City Football Club chairman Jerry Sibanda says they do not regret their decision to forgo staging a strong challenge for the Premier Soccer League ticket.

“We want to wean ourselves off BCC funding. Football must fund itself – that is what we believe at our club,” said Sibanda.

Bulawayo City were relegated from the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League in 2022. The club decided to play in the Bulawayo Province Division Two League after the Bulawayo City board and executive realised that, without adequate funding, they could not compete with other clubs in Division One.

“It was a brave and wise decision to openly admit that we could not compete with other clubs for money and other resources. We sat down and resolved that focusing on young players and investing in their football and life futures is the way forward.

“It has been an exciting journey with some of the youngsters, some of whom we have had since they were 12 years old and are now 19 or 20. We are working on a model where the sale of players becomes the cornerstone of the club’s funding. We have dedicated coaches who are patient with the young players, and soon we will be the go-to club for fresh talent,” said Sibanda.

He explained that, after a year in Division Two, they decided to elevate their players by getting them to compete in Division One football.

“Division One football is challenging and provides the boys with an environment that separates men from boys, with its travel demands and physical nature. We were happy that, in 2024, the boys acquitted themselves well, securing a top-eight finish despite their youth. There is a future for Bulawayo football,” said Sibanda.

Bulawayo City are currently celebrating their first player sale. Striker and Zifa Southern Region Division One top scorer Mbongeni Minezhi has moved to Scotland, where he will play for the PSL newcomers this year.

“It’s been a milestone and a great breakthrough for the club since we fully committed to junior player development. We have some exciting players in our ranks who are worth considering for trials,” said Sibanda.

Minezhi had been loaned to Bosso90 in 2023 but was not utilised throughout the season.

“We offered the player to Highlanders, but he was discarded by their development wing. Bulawayo teams were non-committal in negotiations for the player. Then Scotland came along and spoke football business beyond just this single transaction,” said Sibanda.

He declined to disclose the finer details of the deal.

“Those matters are always confidential between the three parties – the player, Scotland, and Bulawayo City,” said Sibanda.

He emphasised that, in the next five to seven years, his team would be among the leading clubs in exporting players.

“We have learnt a lot from our years of experience and travel. When done properly, junior development can generate enough revenue to sustain the club. It is a process, and we all need to be patient,” said Sibanda.

Sibanda also noted that the club had previously released many top players for free due to challenges with player remuneration.