Clubs express mixed feelings over league suspension
SOME Castle Lager Premiership football clubs have expressed mixed feelings over the recent suspension of top-flight football following incidents of violence and hooliganism that again took centre stage in the Battle of Zimbabwe match between old enemies Highlanders and Dynamos at Barbourfields on Sunday.
In an unprecedented move, the Premier Soccer League on Monday afternoon announced that they have suspended all local league matches with immediate effect until further notice.
The league is in the process of engaging stakeholders to find a lasting solution and has scheduled an indaba on Friday that will be attended by the police, club security officials and marshals.
However, this move by the league fathers has been welcomed differently by the clubs. Some clubs believe another break, at a time when clubs are in the groove, will only disturb their rhythm. But for fear of a backlash from the PSL that is immune to criticism, some club officials refused to comment otherwise while some chose to be diplomatic.
Ngezi Platinum Stars, who were the biggest winners last weekend when they bounced back to their winning ways with a 4-0 demolition of Tenax, wrote on their official Twitter page: “Action has been suspended. With the devastating form we were in on Saturday, hopefully, games will resume soon.”
Bulawayo Chiefs secretary- general, Dumisani Mantula Sibanda, said they accept the league’s decision to freeze all the Premiership matches.
“For now as a club, we will choose to accept the decisions made by our governing bodies in their endeavours to make the best of our football, we can only hope for the best and favourable outcome,’’ Sibanda wrote in a brief statement.
FC Platinum spokesperson Chido Chizondo said: “We have no comment. We stand guided by the PSL.’’
Tenax chairman, Stefani Masina, said the suspension was a bit unfair on them, considering that they were not involved in the recent acts of hooliganism in local football.
“It did not go down well with us. We were not part and parcel of the violence. It affects the rhythm and momentum of the players but there is nothing we can do. We are always guided by the Premier Soccer League,” said Masina.
United said the suspension is a blessCAPS ing in disguise for the club that has lost four consecutive games.
The club official, who requested anonymity, said the league’s fathers have done a good thing and hope the key stakeholders’ meetings will address the issue.
“As a club, it is an advantage to us as this will give us time to regroup as a team. We have not been doing well and this will accord us some time to sort ourselves.
“At the same time, I believe the stakeholders will have ample time to regroup and re-strategise on the best way forward because we don’t want to lose the few sponsors that we have as a league.
“We should not wait until something catastrophic happens like death at the stadia due to these violent skirmishes. People need to focus on rooting out hooliganism and the
PSL has done the right thing because they want to correct the situation. We will also take advantage of the stoppage as a club,” said the CAPS United official.
Harare City chief executive, Tafadzwa Bhasera, said although they don’t condone violence, they felt in this instance the two clubs that were involved in the disturbances should have been dealt with separately.
“We think it was an incident that involved two clubs and probably thinks the punishment should have been meted out on these two clubs, rather than a blanket ban on everyone,” said Bhasera.
The PSL yesterday were still waiting for the clubs reports on what transpired at Barbourfields on Sunday.
Highlanders yesterday apologised to the sponsors and the football stakeholders.
“Highlanders is saddened by the acts of pitch invasion, missile throwing, vandalism and violence that characterised the country’s flagship fixture at Barbourfields stadium on Sunday.
“The conduct negatively profiles our game at a time the league and clubs are still trying to convince more corporates that there is value in sponsoring football.
‘’We would like to take this opportunity to apologise to the sponsors of the game, and other stakeholders who were equally affected by the Sunday incidents.
‘’ The club joins all other stakeholders in fighting this disease, as we are already seized in trying to come up with measures and practises that will bring a lasting solution to this problem.
‘’We would also like to implore the club members to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner on the terraces during soccer matches by shunning missile throwing and pitch invasions,’’ read part of the Bosso statement.