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WHEN the great Diego Maradona described his countryman Lionel Messi’s Golden Boot award as improper, I celebrated a seemingly honest view of the outcome of the just-ended World Cup. Messi starred for his country in the group stages of the tournament, netting four goals but when it was in the knockout phase, he failed to illuminate the stage as was expected.
Maradona went on to describe the move as a probable marketing stunt considering the size of a brand Messi. It is no doubt that barring the World Cup finals the small Argentine is a special gift to the game. His skills are mesmerising and his goal-scoring exploits are only rivalled by Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid in league football.
The problem with big name players is that they tend to have an undue influence on judges. Their followers and media are always quick to come to their defence.
Players like Bekithemba Ndlovu, Anzilom Ndlovu, Knox Mutizwa and Simon Munawa have not been so lucky. At one time they found themselves targets of boo boys even for lesser mistakes than their teammates.
Yet charismatic players like Dazzy Kapenya, Tapuwa Kapini and Gift Lunga (Jnr) would more often get encouragement from the fans for costly blunders.
To err is human. Also it’s in us to have a soft spot for certain individuals without being guided by some of life’s basic tenets.
It is hard to satisfy every individual in team sports. The level of engagement and expectation in team spot is varied unlike in athletics, cycling or swimming where an individual’s performance can be measured.
Closer to our doorstep are the annual Sport and Recreation Commission and Soccer Star of the Year accolades. They get all sorts of reactions, some justified, while others could be guided by -isms that our sport has failed to root itself out of.
If more programmes to educate panellists were encouraged I have no doubt the awards would brand soccer.
A situation where the Zimbabwe Soccer Player of the Year cannot make it in a South African National First Division side or command a position in the Warriors 18 raises a stink. It’s either the panel is not good enough or lacks the basics to identify the bare minimum required to bestow an honour.
The 11 Soccer Stars of the Year finalists should be the best players of each given soccer season. The local boys should be better even for consideration for the national team than these bench warmers strewn all over the world and masquerading as top Zimbabwe footballers.
In years gone by when sportswriters were credible, players like Japhet M’parutsa, James Takavada, Ephraim Dzimbiri, Ephert Lungu, Misheck Chidzambwa, Willard Kumalo, Madinda Ndlovu, Joel Shambo, Shaky Tauro, Stix M’tizwa and Stanley Ndunduma came out as best players and went on to justify their selections by dominating the senior national team for years. It came as no surprise when three quarters of them were retained on the Castle Lager calendar and called up for national duty by successive Warriors coaches.
In a bid to improve credibility we have seen coaches come on board in the Soccer Star of the Year selection only for the chosen players to emerge big flops.
How many players have won the top awards and gone on to be hits like Zenzo Moyo who is still celebrated in Cyprus?
Other winners like Cephas Chimedza, Joseph Kamwendo and Energy Murambadoro were on the next plane for trials after being crowned. Was their selection a marketing strategy like Maradona aptly described the selection of his countryman?
Football must deserve and demand better because it is a big institution calling for Fair Play.
Why should for instance a technical team of any national side or club be the only one that sees differently from the rest of soccer lovers?
In the terraces are people like Mathemba Sibanda, Cornwell Dube, Silas Ndlovu, Khona Tshabangu, Ali Dube, Bongani Mafu and Godfrey Paradza some who are highly qualified and respected coaches. I was taken aback yesterday to learn that of the $500,000 set aside by NetOne only $270,000 will go towards prizemoney with champions pocketing $80,000.
Soccer deserves more. It appears accommodation, transport and uniforms are taking a bigger chunk of the cake.
There is need to review some of these side sponsorships to ensure clubs come out winners. In the past it has been exposed that some within the sponsors’ camp cut deals through transport and uniforms in some of these tournaments leaving clubs reeling under debt. There have been glaring instances when a bus has been driven from Harare to the Lowveld to be used by Triangle or one from Bulawayo to Hwange for use by Chipangano.
When teams playing in the Midlands are forced to camp in Bulawayo, it raises eyebrows.
Clubs have always camped at their preferred places and should continue to do so.
I will not be surprised if board members get more than clubs’ share in gatetakings.
What is the logic for some of these double headers and why play Highlanders and How Mine in Gweru and deny so many interested groups a big share from the match at Barbourfields Stadium?
If it is for television coverage, how much are clubs getting out of that? These soccer deals I feel need scrutiny, yes football has been so desperate to an extent that it has no appreciation of its own brand value.
Hwange have their own bus that can be fuelled by the sponsors.
In another issue that caught my attention last week, Highlanders were forced to play against Mamelodi Sundowns in an empty stadium. What is disturbing are reports that the Premier Soccer League president Twine Phiri is reported to have been at the meeting where the decision was passed. Sport needs people who will make decisions and stand by them and avoid confusion and bad publicity for the sport.
PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele reversed the decision all in the hope of protecting Castle Lager. The good thing is he made a decision and stuck to it unlike most administrators who of late want to be seen as being in good books even with feuding camps.
Resolutions passed at annual general meetings should be the guiding principle which Phiri should have brought to light at the meeting with Dynamos, Highlanders and Mamelodi Sundowns.
However some situations have to be looked at on their own merits. It was not Semukwe Rangers but probably the richest club south of the Sahara coming to enhance the Castle Lager brand by playing the top two clubs. Notable is the fact that the African Champions League bound Absa Premiership holders are finding products of the Castle Lager sponsorship an attractive brand to hook up with.
With almost 60 people on tour, that was a big boost for sports tourism for the country with over $60,000 spent here.
Zimbabwe was well marketed and it could have been great to allow locals to watch a team so rich in talent and history like Sundowns.
Online Reporter