Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Central Region Soccer League has an intriguing cast of teams that includes seasoned campaigners Chapungu United and Shabanie Mine vying for honours, but old-timers Grain Tigers believe they can upset the apple cart and make a long-awaited return to the Premiership, after more than 30 years in the doldrums.
Grain Tigers, whose main funders are the Grain Marketing Board, last played in the top-flight league in 1995, just two years after the Premiership had been introduced.
They sold their franchise to Arcadia in 1996, and since then, Grain Tigers have been oblivious.
But a new executive led by Quiet Shangai, also a renowned body-building personality, has been on a mission to revive Grain Tigers.
They are now back in Division One football, competing in the Central Region, where they are placed among the top three teams after six rounds of action.
“Between 1996 and now we had clubs that were scattered within regions.
“At some point we had Silo United, but last year we decided to revive Grain Tigers, and we managed to get a franchise in the Central Region,” Shangai explained.
Shangai does not mince his words on the club’s target this season.
“Our objective is definitely to play in the Premier League next season.
“It’s very possible,” declared Shangai.
Grain Tigers play their home games at Mbizo in Kwekwe, the Midlands town witnessing a football revolution sparked by the emergence of cash-rich Premier Soccer League side Hardrock.
“Kwekwe has always been a football town, although we went down a bit in recent years.
“But we believe the town is alive again, and we will play our part in making football great in Kwekwe.
“That’s why we decided to interrogate issues to do with the administration, issues to do with player selection, and issues to do with how best we can ensure that we are a competitive club.
“We also interrogated our structures, the technical team, the administration, the council and the board.
“And we managed to ensure that we have a culture of football. This then became the basis for us developing a committed set-up,” revealed Shangai.
Apart from Chapungu United and Shabanie Mine, Grain Tigers also have the likes of Kwekwe United to compete against.
But Grain Tigers believe they have set up a team capable of finishing top of the Central Region Soccer League final standings.
“We are of the belief that come November we should be one of the clubs to be promoted.
“We also want to try and invest in junior football development because Grain Tigers hope also produce national team players.
“We hope also to visit one or two clubs in South Africa, just to get an idea of how best we can structure our system.
“The idea is not to get into the Premier Soccer League and then get relegated in 2028.
“We want to be in the PSL and then progress in this elite division.”
The Grain Tigers chairman also reckons the club is playing its duty on wellness.
“Through Grain Tigers, our main sponsors, Grain Marketing Board, are also playing their role when it comes to wellness and health.
“The advantage we have is that we have a company chief executive officer who loves football,” said Shangai.
