adminFORMER Zimbabwe football powerhouse New Orleans face a bleak future as they are struggling to raise funds to fulfil fixtures in the national Zimbabwe Women Super League.
While the club has managed to raise registration fees it has not yet secured funding for transport and match officials costs, a scenario that might lead to their withdrawal from the top-tier women’s league.
The ZWL has failed to attract any sponsorship, a scenario which have seen the cash-strapped clubs digging deep into their “empty” pockets to meet operational costs.
A source at the club said they had realised it would be futile to continue in the league when they had to scrounge for funds in order to fulfil fixtures, pay referees and players.
The club’s director, Nkanyiso Bhebhe, confirmed they were in dire straits and that they had extended a begging bowl to various people.
“We are in desperate need of help as we do not have any money to operate the club. We have talked to various sponsors but they are all citing the unfavourable economic conditions hence they are unable to help us. We want to continue playing football and we hope a Good Samaritan will come to our rescue very soon before the club folds,” he said.
Bhebhe said they felt it would be improper not to register with the Super League and they had done so on condition that they would only play at home.
“The away fixtures would be walkovers because we do not have the resources to travel. We decided that if we are to keep the team alive we should at least play home games,” he said.
However, an official in the Zimbabwe Women Football, who is not allowed to speak to the media, said they were still to see proof that New Orleans paid the requisite fees hence as far as they were concerned the team was yet to be in their books.
New Orleans is one of the pioneer clubs of Zimbabwean Women’s football and there are the most successful club to emerge from Bulawayo, if not in Zimbabwe. New Orleans have produced several stars who include current national team coach, Rosemary Mugadza, Nomsa “Boyz” Moyo, who is one of their coach, Fungai Nyamutukwa, Precious “Gringo” Mpala, Nokuthula Ndlovu, national Under-23 team coach Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda, Ruth Banda, former national team goalkeeper, Daisy Mokwena and Duduzile Nkomo.
The club was formed in 1993 by the late Haverson Masilela and dominated both the country and the regional football scene for several years, in the process winning the Godfrey Moloi Invitational tournament that was held in South Africa in 2003. The Bulawayo side was invited to be part of the national Super League at its inception in 2011.
While some clubs had suggested the division of the national league into two, Southern and Northern Regions, in a bid to ease the financial pressure on the clubs, the new administration, led by Miriam Sibanda insisted the clubs play nationally while a sponsor was being sought.
The start of the Super League was delayed because of late payment by most clubs with some arguing they had to first get an explanation on what happened to the affiliation fees they paid last season, in a year in which no ball was kicked.
The previous Mavis Gumbo-led board secured sponsorship from Marange Resources in 2012 but poor management of the funds led to the diamond mining company withdrawing their benevolence.
Online Reporter