Giants showing signs of life

Robson Sharuko H-Metro Editor

SOMEWHERE across Africa, high above the clouds, a Highlanders delegation must have learnt that their club had just staged a remarkable comeback to steal a point in the Derby.

It was just the positive news the Bosso leaders needed to hear, flying at an altitude of 38 000 feet, as they embarked on a ground-breaking 10-day tour of Europe.

Their tour will take them to France, the home of the World Champions, Spain, the home of the world’s biggest club, and England, the traditional home of football.

The landmark tour is being bankrolled by their principal sponsors, Sakunda Holdings, to give the Bosso leadership a personal appreciation of how super clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester United are run. Dynamos, who are also being sponsored by Sakunda Holdings, are set to send their representatives on a similar European adventure next month.

It’s a partnership which, in its first year, has delivered on all fronts.

Highlanders have already seen their club house being renovated, the franchise has been stabilised and, crucially, they have been transformed into a competitive outfit, once again.

While both Highlanders and Dynamos will not celebrate their partnership with Sakunda Holdings with a league title this year, what isn’t in question is that there has been significant progress, on a number of fronts.

In football, just like in finance, they say numbers don’t lie:

After 30 games, this year, Dynamos have 56 points — winning 16 games, drawing eight, losing six, scoring 32 goals and conceding 14.
After the same number of games, in the previous championship race in 2019, the Glamour Boys had 43 points — winning nine, drawing 16, losing five, scoring 27 goals and conceding 23.
This means that, after the arrival of Sakunda as their main partners, DeMbare have earned 13 more points, after 30 games, compared to what they had earned, after the same number of games, in 2019.
In terms of percentage gain, after 30 matches, Dynamos have gained 14.45 percent, in terms of the value of their points, in this league campaign, compared to the 2019 championship campaign.
Highlanders got their campaign in the worst possible manner, which saw them even hovering in the relegation zone, leading to the axing of coach Mandla Mpofu.
However, the arrival of Brito, which in itself is a powerful message of what Bosso can now afford to lure into their stable, thanks to the financial muscle, which they now have.
After 30 games, this year, Highlanders have 46 points, and with a chance to finish in the top four — winning 11 games, drawing 13, losing seven, scoring 39 goals and conceding 28.
After the same number of games, in the previous championship race in 2019, Bosso had 41 points — winning nine games, drawing 14, losing seven, scoring 27 goals and conceding 23.
This means that, after the arrival of Sakunda as their main partners, Bosso have earned five more points, after 30 games, compared to what they had earned, after the same number of games, in 2019.
In terms of percentage gain, after 30 matches, Highlanders have gained 5.56 percent, in terms of the value of their points, in this league campaign, compared to the 2019 championship campaign.
So, how do the two big boys compare with their major rivals in the league?
After 30 games, this year, champions FC Platinum have 67 points, just one point away from winning their fourth straight league title — winning 20 games, drawing seven, losing three, scoring 45 goals, conceding 11.
After the same number of games, in the previous championship race in 2019, the champions had 52 points — winning 14 games, drawing 10, losing six, scoring 31 goals, conceding 15.
This means that FC Platinum have gained 15 points, from the tally they had in the last championship campaign, in the current marathon.
In terms of percentage gain, in the value of points won, the Zvishavane miners have gained an impressive 16.67 percent.
While these are very impressive numbers for the champions, it’s important to look at them in the context of what Dynamos have gained, with their 14.45 percent gain.
The real difference, between the champions and the Glamour Boys, has been just 2.22 percent and this number represents the MASSIVE gain, which DeMbare have enjoyed, when the two seasons are compared, after 30 games.
While the gap between the two clubs is huge, in the current championship race, when one takes into account where the two were, after 30 games into the 2019 marathon, there has been a big gain, in terms of closing the gap, by the Glamour Boys.
After 30 games, this year, Chicken Inn have 55 points, compared to the 52 points the Gamecocks had, after the same number of points, during the 2019 campaign.
They have gained three points while Ngezi Platinum Stars (47 points compared to 43 points) have gained four points.
CAPS United have suffered the biggest pounding as they had 54 points, at this stage of the campaign, during the 2019 season, compared to the 37 points, which they have at the moment, representing an 18.88 percent fall in value.