‘Play-offs not fair’
ZIFA Southern Region chairman Musa Mandaza says it will be unjust for Division One league champions to be subjected to play-offs as they are playing for automatic promotion.
Speaking during a Sports Journalists Association South Region Interactive Forum on Friday evening, Mandaza felt the country was in an abnormal situation economically, hence they have to make abnormal decisions.
The football administrator came short of defending the recent decision by the Zifa Assembly to have four teams relegated from the Premier Soccer League instead of following a resolution made last year for two teams to be chopped.
The decision sent shockwaves within the football community as it took place with just two games to go before the PSL wrapped up the 2016 season.
Mandaza, however, declined to comment further on the issue saying it was now being discussed at national level following an outcry over the somersault made by the national football body. He said they do not want to compromise the mandate given to them by the clubs and as leadership they have to protect the interests of the clubs.
“In our constitution it says division teams get an automatic promotion and although there is the provision for the National First Division, it (constitution) says if established but it has not been. It would be a sad day if a team comes out on top and is subjected to these play-offs, is knocked out and goes back again. We are simply in an abnormal situation hence we have to make abnormal decisions but we are doing this to protect the poor,” said Mandaza.
He lamented the lack of a National First Division in the country saying other countries that had this league were operating smoothly with no hiccups in their promotion/relegation matrix. Mandaza said lack of funding was hampering the creation of the NFD.
“In countries like South Africa, England and Zambia they have the NFD and they are operating smoothly as teams are funded and they can fly to fulfil their fixtures but in our situation it cannot work.
“It (NFD) will be the most expensive league for teams as a team would have to travel from Chipinge to Victoria Falls, Beitbridge to Kariba and this will be difficult for them,” he said.
Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa has been urged to speedily resolve the relegation/promotion impasse with the season about to end.
Miscommunication over funding of the play-offs is said to have resulted in the decision but the PSL has committed to paying for the expenses of the play-offs, sources said.
The PSL, sources said, was also planning court action and “refusing” to relegate any team or accept newcomers if Zifa insist on four teams going in and out.