Only six teams attend First Div seminar
ONLY six clubs attended the Zifa Southern Region seminar aimed at apprising First Division teams on Fifa/Caf Club Licensing tenets at the weekend.
Former Premier Soccer League side, Bulawayo City, who were axed from the topflight last season, ambitious Makomo from Hwange, ZPC Hwange, Talen Vision, army side Indlovu Iyanyathela and returnees Ajax Hotspurs attended the two-day seminar which ended on Saturday.
Mehluli Thebe, Zifa Southern Region board member, said they had to extend the invite to Zifa Bulawayo Metropolitan Province’s Division Two Soccer League clubs, with FMSA Umguza and Lobengula Stars among those that accepted the invitation.
The seminar, which was for club secretaries, covered Zifa rules and regulations presented by Thebe, budgets, presented by Zifa Southern Region board member Tizirayi Luphahla, with retired referee Sabelo Sibindi leading the laws of the game topic.
Zifa Transfer Matching System (TMS) manager Timothy Mazhindu taught participants on online player registration, which also makes it easy to electronically monitor players’ movements.
Despite the low turnout, Thebe described the workshop as a success.
“The workshop wasn’t only for new clubs, but open to all Division One teams. It’s unfortunate that we had few clubs attending the seminar, which was beneficial for all the teams. I think we are good to go and we hope to have more of such workshops so that our clubs are abreast with the Fifa/Caf Club Licensing tenets,” said Thebe.
Zifa Southern Region has proposed March 30 as the kick-off date for the 2019 Division One season.
The Southern Region, made up of teams from Bulawayo Metropolitan and Matabeleland North Provinces, welcome Bulawayo City from the Premiership and want to run an 18-team league after relegating two sides, NRZ Leopards and ZRP Bulawayo Province last season.
Zim Leopards have pulled out of the league and it looks like Toronto FC will follow suit unless they find a sponsor to take care of their affiliation fees and match day related costs.
Clubs intending to participate in the league will have to pay their affiliation fees before the Zifa Southern Region annual general meeting set for February 25.
Affiliation fees for newly promoted clubs is $2 500, while old teams pay $2 000. These fees exclude players and technical team members’ registration. The registration for each player is $20, meaning $500 for a squad of 25 players and $250 for five technical team members.
The four newly promoted teams hoping to make a mark in the First Division are Ajax Hotspurs and Arenel from Bulawayo as well as Nengasha Stars and Binga Pirates from Zifa Matabeleland North Division Two.
e ex-Premiership pair of Bulawayo City and Tsholotsho, Talen Vision, ZPC Hwange, Makomo, army sides Indlovu Iyanyathela and Moto Moto, CIWU, Bosso 90, Casmyn, Victoria Falls’ Mosi Rovers, Mainline FC of Plumtree and Toronto from Pumula East make up the rest of the First Division for 2019. — @ZililoR