Chronicle Editor
Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
IT’S just a training kit, but it appears to have stolen the limelight from what appears to be a massive deal between Highlanders and On The Ball (OTB), which will supply Bosso with kit for three years in a deal worth US$300 000.
OTB also signed a similar arrangement with Dynamos.
In terms of the agreement, OTB will provide Highlanders with match kit, training kit and other match merchandise.
A number of sympathisers have previously donated training kit, balls and bibs to the club and the OTB deal comes at a time Bosso’s sponsorship deal with mobile network operator NetOne ends this month.
However, the colourful launch of the OTB deal was overshadowed by one of the training kits.
Many had not heard of the colour peppermint green until last Friday when Bosso unveiled their third training kit.
The peppermint green kit is similar to blue, a colour that Highlanders’ fans associate with main rival Dynamos and that caused a social media stir.
Many have said they are not happy with the colour and as such the colour has been accepted by a few.
Social media has been abuzz since the kit unveiling, with heated debate over that training kit.
There is no denying that there would have been similar backlash had Dynamos unveiled a kit with a shade synonymous with Bosso.
But with the latest global trends whereby teams have a collection of shades they use, could it be a case of local clubs being blind to modernity?
“Our third training kit has generated an interesting conversation among football fans. This speaks to the size and power of brand Highlanders. That is a training, not matchday kit. It’s peppermint green. We know it’s an unusual colour to some of our fans, but that’s the direction football has taken worldwide.
“Clubs use ‘crazy’ colours for their bibs, training and optional kits etc, targeting alternative markets. We will never use blue because it is the colour of our fierce rivals, Zimbabwe Saints and Dynamos,” said Highlanders’ communications officer Ronald Moyo.
He said the club’s culture and tradition was intact as the club would be using its traditional black and white strip, whose replica jerseys will go on sale once they arrive in the country from China.
Moyo said replica shirts of the playing kit should be available in the coming weeks, which should excite Bosso fans, who have been yearning for them after their arrangement with previous kit sponsor Roar yielded no replicas.
Since 2018, Highlanders have been using Roar as a kit supplier, a brand they got to be associated with when they secured sponsorship from NetOne.
One area that blemished the deal with Roar was its failure to provide Bosso with their traditional black and white strip, popularly known as “Amawaba”.
The black and white strip represents the Amawaba regiment of King Lobhengula Khumalo, the grandfather of Albert and Rhodes Khumalo, the sons of Njube Khumalo.
Rhodes and Albert formed Lions FC in 1926 and the name later changed to Matabeleland Highlanders FC before Matabeleland was removed. — @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter