Which team will take How Mine’s slot?
UNCERTAINTY abounds as it remains to be seen which club will fill in the slot left by How Mine FC who surrendered their Premier er Soccer League franchise frane on Wednesday, despite the PSL emergency committee resolving to give the he slot to Harare City.
In a statement yesterday, the he PSL confirmed the official withdrawal of the gold d miners, who give up their franchise after the company mpany decided to cone concentrate on other corporate social responsibility programmes.
“The PSL emergency committee mmittee resolved to replace How Mine FC with Harare City, who finseason. finished 15th on the table last season. In the event that Harare City are unable to take up the slot left by How Mine, the team that finished on position 16 will be considered,” said the PSL in a statement.
Coalminers, Hwange FC, were the 16th placed team in the 18-team league last st season.
However, Harare mayor Ben Manyenyeni, who last season fumed at the huge budget allocated to the football team at the expense of service delivery, said his position regarding the team m had not changed, an indication that its return to the PSL was not guaranteed.
He also said his office had not been formally forregarding approached by anyone regarding takhise. taking over the How Mine franchise.
“My sentiments are well known; nown; we are not in the business of bloated d budgets for football. It’s an embarrassing allocation of very scarce resources,” said Manyenyeni yesterday.
Last season, an irate Manyenyeni anyenyeni lifted the lid on the spending ing spree at the club, saying the team’s s officials blew a staggering $6 million of ratepayers’ rateonship money.
With the league championship winners getting $100 000 in prize money, the team splashed 60 times more than what they would have received had they won the league ague title.
e mayor also sarcastically ally wrote on his Facebook timeline meore that Harare City had more coaches “than underwear”.
“When do you residents ever er get to praise us? After blowing ng $6 million chasing a ball all ll over the country, surely Hararians rr should congratulate us for being demoted from the Premier - Soccer League,” wrote e Mayor Manyenyeni in a post t last season.
Meanwhile, sources yesterday - terday said Southern Region Division One side Makomo and their Eastern Region counterparts Manica Diamonds were looking to take over the franchise in the event that Harare City and Hwange failed to do so. — @skhumoyo2000