2020 season doubtful
THE year 2020 is highly likely to go down into the annals of Zimbabwean football history as one in which football could not be played due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Soccer lovers are now waiting for the official statement on the cancellation of the 2020 season given that odds are heavily stacked against any possible return of football action this year.
When the Covid-19 pandemic struck and spread to this part of the globe in March, the debate back then centred on possibilities of conveniently shifting from the normal March to November season to an August to July season.
But with each passing week, like morning dew, hope for resumption of action is fading as the reality of a year without football fast dawns upon the domestic football community.
The spike in Covid-19 cases in the country, whose trend is unpredictable, is placing the resumption of football league action this year in doubt.
In addition, the requisite strict conditions being observed in foreign leagues that have since resumed, including in neighbouring South Africa, can hardly be implemented in Zimbabwe in time for the start of the season anytime this year.
Soccer teams are playing in empty stadia, with sponsors shouldering the various service providers’ costs.
But in the event that a decision to resume football league action is made, player contracts will also present another headache.
Fifa’s US$5 000 per team Covid-19 bailout package, which is yet to hit the coffers of the football clubs, is far less than what clubs require to foot the bill of partaking in a league marathon.
Highlanders FC chief executive, Nhlanhla Dube said it is virtually impossible for the game to start in September or anytime this year.
“The Zifa council needs to meet to effect change of the season. If this had to happen in August, notwithstanding the Covid-19 reality, the clubs need at the very least six to eight weeks to get the players ready. Then the season will start in the midst of the rainy season,” he said.
Dube noted the clubs’ contractual obligations.
“Many contracts will be expiring at the end of December when the original season was set to end. Even if clubs intend to extend contracts, there is no start and end date for the season as yet. It therefore becomes nearly impossible to do this.
“How exactly do clubs deal with the reality that while they have religiously been paying player salaries for a full year (almost), there is no return on that investment? Players will walk away from the clubs for free without having worked for a single minute,” the Bosso chief executive said.
According to Dube, local clubs are unlikely to meet the required modus operandi anytime soon to allow for the resumption of football action.
“How do clubs deal with the losses incurred from playing in empty stadia when they still carry the costs of service providers? How do clubs deal with the requirements for testing and prevention protocols, from training to game day? How will the league sponsors and club sponsors relate to the diminished visibility, which is the number one trade off for football sponsorship?” Dube queried.
Manica Diamonds team manager, Ticha Zikai said the online player monitoring exercises are now becoming difficult to observe religiously.
“Online sessions are going on, but not all of them are following the programmes as stipulated. Some are doing well, but others are actually on a lengthy off-season. We are monitoring those that are loyal, but we do not know if those who reside outside Mutare are following their individual training schedules,” said the former Eastern Lions and Buffaloes’ official.
His Tenax FC counterpart, Nisbet Mapaike, also shared similar sentiments.
“The individual physical training sessions are going on well but the major challenge is in monitoring the progress as some players are not locals. In addition, only physical fitness programmes are being done. There is no ball work as contact sessions are still out of the question,” said Mapaike.