BY MICHAEL KARIATI
TODAY is Independence Day and what a way to celebrate the country’s 41st anniversary than the return of football to the fields after a year or so on the wayside.
The President’s Independence Trophy final between traditional giants Dynamos and Highlanders should serve as a dress rehearsal of what to expect in the Zimbabwean national football programme that begins on May 8.
The Cup game is a welcome return to a sport that Zimbabweans last witnessed on their doorsteps in November 2019, and also gives DeMbare and Bosso fans the opportunity to have a glimpse of what their teams have on offer this year.
Success of the match, or otherwise, will also help both the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to identify potential problems and shape the future of the Zimbabwean game ahead of the restart on May 8. It would have been good, if not better, to have had more teams in this competition, but time does not allow for that to happen, but still the power of attraction remains with the presence of DeMbare and Bosso.
Of importance is that the two teams have a point to prove that clubs in the PSL are ready to safely return to the fields after the government laid down measures to be followed for football’s existence under Covid-19.
A lot is expected of PSL clubs in this Covid-19 era that should Bosso and DeMbare pass the test, their end of match report would help instill confidence ahead of the resumption of action.
It is a fact that the government and the nation at large are watching the developments in football with keen interest because the general belief is that football people are disorganised and are not capable of doing anything right.
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That is the myth that should be dispelled starting today as any slip-up would see the government refusing to entertain a request to have a percentage of football fans allowed into matches.
Zifa are interested in having a fraction of football fans into matches to add spice to the attraction on the field of play and they have a strong case on their hands.
Our stadiums are too big compared to the small crowds that attend matches and can accommodate fans without the risk of the spread of Covid-19 — that is if social distancing is maintained on top of mandatory mask-wearing.
Other countries now allow football fans in stadiums and the forthcoming Euro 2021 Championships in Italy have been given the all-clear to have at least 25% of the stadium capacity.
The pressure is on Zifa to prove to government that football needs its fans as the doors remain closed to the public in sport while other gatherings are permitted to have around 50 people.
First, however, Dynamos and Highlanders, as the top teams in the country, should lead by example and provide a blemish-free appearance to prove that Zimbabwean clubs are really ready for football’s return despite Covid-19.
May 8 is not far away for action to return, and so, let the President’s Independence Trophy final be the appetiser of more excitement to come.
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