Kiglon slam Big Brother syndrome

goalposts are being shifted to suit the needs of the big boys.
Kiglon are unhappy that Highlanders have been given permission to travel to South Africa, for a friendly international against Bloemfontein Celtic this weekend, when the two clubs still have an outstanding Castle Lager fixture to fulfil.
The Harare side were set to host Bosso, in match originally scheduled for Monday this week, which was moved to give way to the Cosafa Women’s Championship tie between Zimbabwe and Malawi, which was graced by Fifa president Sepp Blatter.
Champions Motor Action and Monomotapa fulfilled their league tie at Gwanzura on the same day.
Kiglon had initially wanted to host Bosso at Barbourfields but their request was turned down by the PSL board.
Now Kiglon, whose request for a friendly game against Dynamos last week was turned down by the PSL, are up in arms against the board’s decision to clear Bosso for a friendly match in South Africa.
Dynamos also played a charity game in South Africa on Saturday.
“We asked for permission to play a friendly match with Dynamos on the 27th of June but it was turned down,” said Kiglon chief executive Thomson Dondo.
“Shooting Stars and Platinum were also barred to play on the same day in Mutare.
“The idea of playing these friendly games is to raise funds so that we will be able to run our affairs. We know that if we play against Dynamos at Gwanzura we raise not less than $7 000 which will be enough to keep us going for two – three weeks. Why are the laws applied differently? Today (yesterday) I read in the paper that Highlanders were cleared by the same PSL to travel to South Africa for a friendly game but they have an outstanding game against us.
“When they come back next week, we are supposed to play them mid-week. Obviously that game will be loss game. Why are other teams treated differently?
Dondo is unhappy that he will be forced to host Bosso during midweek, next week, in a game that is unlikely to reap any financial rewards for his team.
“Highlanders is one of the three big teams in the Premier League, the others being CAPS United and Dynamos, and when you host them, you expect to get some revenue in terms of gate receipts,” said Dondo.
“That is why we wanted to play Bosso in Bulawayo, during our home match, because we were so sure that as a club we would come out with about US$7 000, which is what we need to keep us afloat.
“Our request was turned down and now we will certainly be forced to play the game in midweek and that doesn’t help us, financially, and we believe this fixture planning is destroying small teams like ours that need all the help they can get from the PSL leaders.”
Dondo said his team was ready, for a long-haul fight, to get a fair deal.
“I know the world isn’t fair, but why is it never unfair in our favour? You don’t have to hold a position in order to be a good leader. We demand fairness,” said Dondo.
“The day we all stop taking our problems to PSL is the day they will have stopped leading us.
“We will have either lost confidence that they cannot help us or concluded that they don’t care about small teams. Either case is a failure of leadership.
“We will not be forced to play any of our big games during the week because we will obviously make huge losses. For those matches that we know we can possibly raise funds why can’t we be allowed to take advantage and raise the funds?
“We don’t mind playing Shooting stars or Mambas or Chicken Inn on a Monday or Tuesday. But we wouldn’t want to play Highlanders or Dynamos midweek for obvious reasons. We will obviously want to play Highlanders on a weekend for our next game and travel to Bulawayo during the week for the reverse fixture.”
Meanwhile our Bulawayo Bureau reports that Highlanders are ready to take on Bloemfontein Celtics in a charity match set for Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday. For participating in the tie, Bosso are guaranteed of R100 000, and, if they win, R50 000 will be added into their account.
Bosso coach Mkhuphali Masuku said they were taking the match just like any other Premiership tie and focus is likely to be on the youngsters in the team who might attract scouts or other South African clubs.
“We are looking forward to the game and the boys are raring to go. This game is not all about money but for bringing the people together knowing that we are all human beings. Apart from the motive of the game, the players know very well that if they do well they might attract other clubs.
“So it’s up to them to raise their game and probably make breakthroughs,” said Masuku.
Bloemfontein Celtic will use the match as part of their pre-season training.
Highlanders will travel to South Africa without goalkeeper Arial Sibanda and winger Misheck Mburayi who are with the national Under-23 team that will face South Africa in the second leg of the All-Africa Games final qualifier in Harare at the weekend.
They will link up with their skipper Gilbert Banda who is on trials at Platinum Stars in Rustenburg on Friday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bulk of the players that have been commanding regular places in the team are expected to travel for t6he clash.
In the absence of Sibanda, Lovemore Makwawarara is guaranteed of being the number one with Innocent Mapuranga, Lawson Nkomo and Gift Lunga (junior) coming together with Banda to form the defence.
Hardworking Eric Mudzingwa, dribbling wizard Rahman Kutsanzira, Arnold ‘Majaivana’ Tshuma, Simon Munawa and veteran Bekithemba Ndlovu are some of the players expected to be in the traveling party.
Masuku said the match would also help keep the players in shape following cancellation of their Kiglon tie owing to the Cosafa Women’s Championships.
“We were inactive at the weekend and to go for another week without playing competitively might affect our rhythm,” said Masuku.
Highlanders’ secretary Andrew Tapela was hopeful that they would establish good relations with Bloemfontein Celtics.
“It is good to network and as a club we are looking forward creating mutual relationships with Bloemfontein Celtics and hopefully if opportunities come up, we will definitely grab them,” said Tapela.
Bosso will be hoping for a favourable result after Harare giants Dynamos beat Orlando Pirates 1-0 at the weekend.
Last year Highlanders lost 1-0 to Jomo Cosmos.