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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIFA chief operations officer Xolisani Gwesela is scheduled for a National Division One League consultative meeting with Southern Region Division One clubs at the association’s Bulawayo office tomorrow.
Gwesela’s visit to Bulawayo follows last week’s Zifa executive committee resolution to embark on the National Division One League which will be a feeder to the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
After noting with concern that the Central Region, Southern Region and Mashonaland Central province’s leaders were not participating in Zifa activities and meetings, the Zifa executive committee assigned Gwesela to engage clubs and give them appraisals from the football mother body.
Gwesela, who is responsible for Zifa’s day-to-day running of communication, competitions, marketing and club licensing activities confirmed tomorrow’s meeting with the Southern Region.
“We are going to be engaging clubs in a National League consultative meeting with clubs since their leaders are not attending Zifa meetings. The executive committee resolved to establish the national league as provided for in the statutes. Now we’re rolling out the consultative stage so that we come up with how the National League will be implemented.
“So, the first meeting is on Saturday with the Southern Region Division One Soccer League clubs and then we will set up a meeting for the Central Region,” said Gwesela.
According to the constitutional provision, Zifa will run the National League which will have four delegates attending the national congress.
The concept of the second-tier national league, which is provided for in the Zifa constitution, was first mooted and adopted into the constitution in 2013 but successive administrations at the association have not been able to implement it.
The establishment of the National Division One League is expected to enhance the competitiveness of the Premier Soccer League. The introduction of the National Division One League will see two clubs relegated from the Premier Soccer League at the end of the season instead of four.
Presently, each region — Central, Eastern, Northern and Southern — promotes a team each into the PSL. There have been arguments that more competitive leagues in the world have one promotional division contributing two clubs like the English Premiership and the Spanish La Liga.
Having at least 64 teams contributing four to the Premiership, has been viewed as one of the major reasons that have weakened the top flight league.
The tally of at least 64 teams represents a potential four divisions, meaning clubs that should be playing Area Zone football find themselves at a higher league than reality. — @ZililoR
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