Southern Region extend registration deadline

THE Zifa Southern Region Division One League executive has extended the deadline for teams to affiliate following a “poor” response from clubs.

Stung by failure of clubs to pay their full affiliation fees in previous years; the executive felt it prudent for teams to affiliate before the games start.

While teams not in good standing were allowed to participate in previous annual general meetings, this year they were relegated to observers.

Concern has been raised over fixture disruptions as teams struggling financially fail to travel for games, don’t pay referees or withdraw from the league in the course of the season.

Southern Region board member finance, Bryton Malandule said they had moved the deadline to this coming Wednesday.

The initial deadline agreed to at the annual general meeting held on 24 February was 14 March.

Malandule said 14 teams have shown clear intention of taking part in the league this year although they hope all the 18 clubs would be in good standing by Wednesday to ensure they release fixtures in preparation for the league start.

“We have set the weekend of 7 April as the date for the start of the league hence we need to have fixtures out by the end of next week.

“We need stability in the league and teams that we have at the beginning are the same teams that we should have at the end of the year,” he said.

The league last year had 14 teams while in 2016 they were 16 and this year it was agreed they run with 18 teams but with poor response they are unlikely to reach that numbers.

Malandule said they will make their final determination on how many clubs will make up the league this year after they have seen the number of teams who have shown ability to meet the financial obligations of the league.

The new teams’ affiliation fees are $2 500, while old clubs, including those coming from the PSL, pay $2 000.

In addition there are registration fees for players and officials which are pegged at $20 for each player and $50 for every member of the technical department from the head coach down to team manager.

Already the executive has roped in NRZ Leopards of Dete in Matabeleland North replac Lunda FC of Binga who failed to affiliate.

Although Malandule declined to name the three clubs that are struggling to pay up, a fortnight ago it was revealed that ZRP Bulawayo, Black Boots and Chiwororo were yet to affiliate.

NRZ Leopards joins other newly promoted sides that include, Bulawayo’s Division 2 champions Toronto FC of Pumula, runners-up CIWU, Plumtree-based Mainline FC and Moto Moto from Hwange.

Other teams that have been confirmed for the 2018 season are Hwange and Tsholotsho FC, who were relegated from the Premiership, perennial campaigners ZPC Hwange, Makomo, who hired veteran coach Rahman Gumbo, Mosi Rovers, the only team from Victoria Falls, ambitious Talen Vision, Indlovu Iyanyathela, Zim Leopards, Bosso 90 and Casmyn.