Vusumuzi Dube
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE 2021/22 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season has come and gone. FC Platinum were crowned champions for the fourth consecutive year, equaling the fete that was once achieved by Highlanders Football Club and bitter rivals Dynamos.
This is a season that like many had its ups and downs, but coming from the Covid-19 induced lockdown it became a focal season as all stakeholders focused on how it will rebound from the trying times caused by this global pandemic.
As teams take a deserved Christmas break, preparing their teams for the upcoming season, it is essential to take a scalpel and dissect this just ended season, which agreeably had its notable ups and downs.
Sunday Life Sports this week takes a constructive look at some of these ups and downs associated with the just ended season.
Ups
1. FC Platinum, you beauty!
Legendary FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza began the 2021-2022 with a bold decision of trimming his squad of the so-called old horses. The champs openly declared at the commencement of the season that stars who have reached a certain age would be shown the exit door.
True to their declaration a number of senior players parted ways with the Zvishavane-based team, these including Silas Songani, who joined Iceland side Vestri, and Ralph Kawondera, who signed for Dynamos.
Midfielder Rahman Kutsanzira and Striker Stanley Ngala joined Highlanders while Donald Dzvinyai moved to Harare City.
Kelvin Madzongwe joined Bulawayo Chiefs.
However, Mapeza’s project paid off because as the seniors went out, in came the young crop of the likes of Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, Oscar Bhebhe and Panashe Mutimbanyoka.
By the end of the season the Mapeza experiment paid off as the team walked away with their fourth consecutive title.
2. Give the fans what they want
The Covid-19 pandemic brought about many restrictions as health authorities worked on containing its spread.
This did not leave out sports like soccer, where in Zimbabwe, it remained prohibited. Even when it restarted, fans were restricted from the stadium, all in a bid to contain its spread.
However, the 2021/22 season saw fans eventually being allowed back into the stadiums, the excitement of the premier league was reinvigorated.
The PSL should be commended that despite being caught between a rock and a hard place, that of ensuring that the sport was not seen as a conduit for another outbreak and running a successful campaign.
Soccer players, administrators and the ancillary staff now had their jobs back and could earn bread for their families.
The fans now had a reason to wake up on Saturday and Sunday to go to the stadium to follow their favourite team, albeit the numbers were low, which will be a discussion later in this article.
3. The Sakunda effect
Two of the oldest football clubs, Highlanders and Dynamos had for a number of years been going through financial troubles. The teams were fast turning into the epitaph of the Zimbabwe’s footballing history.
Coupled, with the teams’ below par performances, the future seemed bleak as the community team tag seemed not to be paying off for these two former giants.
However, at the start of the 2021/22 season, Sakunda Holdings availed a massive sponsorship for these two teams, valued at a combined US$5,3 million over a period of three years.
As part of the deal, the company committed to be the two clubs’ principal sponsor until 2023, and also pay salaries for the players and technical team to the tune of US$420 000.
Sakunda also committed to pay sign on fees, amounting to $60 000, as well as operational and administration expenses of US$60 000.
This deal has continued to provide the two teams with a glimmer of hope for the future with a number of add-ons which have seen each of the clubs’ administrations converging in Victoria Falls for a strategic meeting and further Bosso’s executive travelled to Europe to get a hands on experience on how other big European teams are operating.
More is still expected out of this deal and it is the hope of many that by the time it expires next year, these two giants will have been awaken from their slumber.
4. There is no small team in football
In previous years it became a tradition to have giants like FC Platinum dominating the local footballing landscape. They would easily sweep the league title and also have a say in the Chibuku Super Cup, together with other so-called big teams like Ngezi Platinum Stars and Highlanders.
However, seeing Bulawayo Chiefs and Herentals battle it out for the Chibuku Cup was so refreshing and would have put a smile on any football lover.
It was a different kind of vibe, to show to all and sundry that there is no small team in football.
The road to the final had seen both Chiefs and Herentals claiming the scalps of former champions to set themselves up. Herentals beat 2016 champions Ngezi Platinum Stars in the first round and Manica Diamonds in the quarter-finals by identical 2-1 score lines.
They went on to boot out 2021 champions FC Platinum 4-3 after a penalty shootout in the semi-finals.
On the other end, Chiefs reached the final after claiming the scalps of ZPC Kariba and 2019 champions Highlanders in the first round and the quarter-finals by identical 1-0 score lines. They went on to dehorn Black Rhinos 5-4 after penalty shootouts in the semi-finals having played to a 0-0 in regulation time.
Kudos to Amakhosi Amahle!
5. Fans choice award introduced at the Soccer Star gala
This year, the PSL introduced a whole new award as part of their soccer stars’ event, where the fans would have a say on who they felt shined during the course of the season.
This was a huge, bold and commendable step by the PSL as it gives a sense of ownership to footballs biggest stakeholder.
Thank you PSL for this power and here’s hoping that this becomes a permanent feature, as previously fans criticised the process arguing that they also needed a say in it.
To the PSL, the only call is for this process to be further refined, it will also be interesting to have a players’ player of the year.
NB: I won’t say anything about the inaugural winner, Tinotenda Benza of Herentals, that’s a story for another day
Lows
1. Where are the fans?
After the Covid-19 induced ban on fans in the stadium, one would have expected that once this ban was lifted, it would see fans come in their numbers back into the stadiums.
However, this was not to be. Most teams played in largely empty stadiums, even teams that were traditionally known to attract a huge following, like Dynamos, saw their supporters shun most of their home matches.Come next season, PSL needs to relook their strategy and ensure that they work on attracting back the numbers, let us not forget that the more the supporters, the more the sponsors wanting to associate with that brand.
However, the football clubs should also ask themselves whether the flair produced in the field of play is that which the supporters can part with their money to come watch.
2. Violence, violence, violence!
Once again violence remains a nagging headache for the PSL, from the violence that rocked the clash between FC Platinum and Highlanders at Mandava to that when Dynamos supporters decided to uproot the goal posts when they played against Highlanders at Barbourfields, one thing for certain it is time a lasting solution is found.Not only does violence turn the sport into a family unfriendly environment but also it is likely to see sponsors pulling out of the game.
3. 10 heroic lions and an old man
Some might be calling for the Guinness book of records to come and profile the oldest person to play soccer at a high level in Zimbabwe- Herentals owner and forward Innocent Benza.
However, one could feel sorry for the 50-year-old as he struggled to keep pace with the game in the final of the Chibuku Super Cup final as at times he could be seen strolling around.
4. Referees remain in the spotlight
The time has come for Zifa and PSL to consider introducing various technological referee accuracy enhancement techniques. Yes, we might not be financially capable to have the Video Assisted Referee (VAR) but there are some technological tit bits like goal line technology that can help enhance refereeing standards in the country as we move towards VAR.
Although complaints about poor officiating in the PSL were low, but there were a few officials that continued to hog the limelight with questionable refereeing.
All stakeholders have however agreed that there is a need to improve refereeing standards in the country.
Follow on Twitter @vusadb
derick.khumalo
Online Reporter