Who’s your money on?
SO THE Castle Lager Premier Soccer League 2018 season explodes into action with a full fixture roster that spans over this entire weekend.
Who, ardent reader, is your mouth on; for this is where one also puts their money?
Or we will get to, as oft-repeated subconsciously, think with our hearts and not the head; especially when it comes to such emotive subjects that football is!
Anyway, the die gets cast tomorrow and all the Premiership’s 18 teams start striding towards crossing the Rubicon. And which team will outlast the rest over the distance? We take a look . . .
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
There is no battle fought without some team(s) carrying the “favourites” tag, the pick of the crop, and this year’s championship chase will be no exception. Or frontrunners in the race as you please.
FC Platinum
Without the Caf Champions League to contend with — which almost derailed their predecessors CAPS United’s campaign last season — the defending champions should feature prominently in the thick of things again. With the bulk of the title-winning squad retained and a few bolstering additions, the Zvishavane side will be itching for another podium finish. It remains to be seen, however, how much the absence of coach Normam “Nomara” Mapeza
— who is set to miss the first four to six or so weeks of the season as he recovers from surgery for a back injury — will affect the team.
Dynamos
The culture at the club demands that they get challenging for the title. They did last season, coming out second best in a campaign few expected them to do as well as they did. That coach Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa appears to have earned the trust of president Kenias Mubaiwa’s overbearing executive and will not run on any ultimatum in the hot seat should make his job a bit easier. The emergence of exciting talent will create healthy competition in the team, pushing everyone to work harder and deliver.
Ngezi Platinum Stars
They smelled it last season, and would want a feel of it. Having already won the premier knockout tourneament — the Chibuku Super Cup — in their short Premiership history, they should fancy their title chances.
Chicken Inn
Joey Antipas, the tactician who won the Gamecocks their maiden championship, is back in the fold and this should get them into the groove. Mafero has been there, done that — not once, but twice — and can still do it again. Since their title triumph in 2015, they have ever hovered in the league upper echelons and are getting experienced or used to close involvement in the battle.
CAPS United
Former champions that have gone for experience, conscripting seasoned players for this cause. Not necessarily putting pressure on the team, winning it for their captain Hardlife Zvirekwi — who recently had part of his hand amputated following a road accident — would give them extra impetus.
Highlanders
Out to restore a badly bruised legacy Bosso are, and that a new coach (though former) is putting together a fresh team may not heavily weigh them down but work to their advantage as the dark horses.
THE CINDERELLA STORY
I profoundly love the tale of an underdog, perceived prey with such tags dangling around their necks but accomplish odd-defying feats. The party pooper, spoilers who upset the applecart.
Anyone remember how a then greenhorn ZPC Kariba almost pulled off that Herculean task in the final day drama of 2014 before DeMbare eventually dragged themselves over the line, outpacing the electricity generators right at the death after it had gone right down to the wire?
Can any one of Mutare City Rovers, Yadah Stars, Herentals, Nichrut or Bulawayo Chiefs script a fairy tale, a Cinderella story that will linger longer in our memories?
Not struggle and battle to dodge relegation, but wrestle for top honours. Hold their own against heavy odds and do a “pamamonya ipapo”, to borrow from Soul Jah Love’s lexicon. Can they get into the picture and put themselves in the frame for a title run?
Or inexperience will count against them? Let the games begin!
If it is about football that you care, let’s share the cheer because we are made for the game, mad about the game!
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