BY MICHAEL KARIATI
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has always been known for the efficient manner in which the league has been run since 1996 when Morrison Sifelani and Chris Sibanda masterminded that breakaway from Zifa.
From Sifelani and now to Farai Jere via the likes of Wellington Nyatanga, Tendai Madzorera, Rafik Khan, Tapuwa Matangaidze and Twine Phiri, the PSL has always been an excellent example of good sporting leadership with all promises fulfilled and misunderstandings settled to the satisfaction of all parties.
The mantle of making things work has always been vested in the chief executive officer, starting off with Sibanda, popularly known as Major, and now to former Highlanders chairman Kenny Ndebele, having also been driven by Chris Sambo whose roots were with the now-defunct Blackpool.
Even in times when Zifa’s intervention seemed on the way to destroying everything they had built over the years, the PSL stood firm and negotiated their way through to the extent of expanding their league from the initial 16 to 18 teams to accommodate Zifa’s problems.
This time around Covid-19 has not made things easy for the PSL especially the pandemic coming just after the conclusion of the 2019 soccer programme and coincidentally after their three-year sponsorship agreement with Delta Beverages had come to an end.
As shrewd as they have always been, the PSL seem to have found a way around the worldwide problem and are on the verge of bringing the game back and as promised on May 22, courtesy of sponsorship from Delta Beverages.
However, the fact that the proposed start had initially been pencilled for May 8, only to be postponed to May 15 and now to May 22, clearly shows that all has not been a bed of roses behind the scenes on the road to resumption.
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Those running the league have come out in the open that the delay was because they had not yet concluded negotiations with their partners and sponsors, a reason that is understandable.
In the end, however, the PSL managed to convince Delta Beverages to part with $700 000 for the league, $375 000 for the Chibuku Super Cup and $55 000 for the Castle Challenge Cup, which is not little by Zimbabwean standards.
So hats off to them for managing to persuade Delta to come on board in these Covid-19 times and for that matter in a sport that in Zimbabwe is viewed more as entertainment rather than an industry.
To convince a sponsor at a time some were running away from sport required a lot and Kenny Ndebele should be commended for coming up with a proposal that was acceptable to Delta.
Some might argue that $1, 130 million for the league and two trophies is little, but then one is forced to challenge those critics to come up — at a commission — with a company that is prepared to part with half of such a figure for football.
What is important is that football is now coming back and the clubs and the players are happy not mentioning the fans, who have been debating on FC Platinum’s overall strength to retain their title.
Now that the PSL has played its part, it is now up to those who benefit from football and, more importantly, the stadium owners to also play their part by upgrading their facilities to standard.
We cannot have a situation in which Caps United, Dynamos, Herentals, Yadah, and Harare City all share the National Sports Stadium (NSS) when Rufaro Stadium and Gwanzura Stadium are there sitting idle.
There are chances too that Black Rhinos and Cranborne Bullets could also turn to the NSS as their intended home grounds in Trojan and Marondera are still to pass the test to host top-flight football.
Surely, this is not good for a country with international football ambitions.
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