The ManicaPost
Ray Bande Senior Reporter
THE global Covid-19 pandemic has provided a chance for the domestic top flight league to align its calendar with the international calendars given the delay of the start of the season, Castle Lager Premiership coaches have said.
The Zimbabwean football season normally starts in March and ends around November in stark contrast with other African and European football calendars that starts in August and end around June.
Over the years, the mismatch has presented challenges for national teams when partaking in international competitions.
On numerous occasions, off season local teams representing the country in inter-club international competitions have played against active foreign teams.
Local players traveling for trials with foreign clubs have also disadvantaged their local clubs owing to differences in season time-lines. The Premier Soccer League and all lower division programmes under Zifa were indefinitely postponed after President Mnangagwa declared the Covid-19 pandemic a state of national disaster and announced a raft of measures to curb its spread in Zimbabwe.
With the greater part of the continent also on lockdown, the local league is now re-aligning its season with that of CAF.
Contacted for comment, Lloyd ‘Samaita’ Mutasa said, “It’s a good opportunity for us to align our league with the other leagues. This will be to our advantage as it will become easy for our players who will be going for trials in the big leagues during the off season period. That way, local teams will not be disadvantaged.”
Mutasa also spoke about the rehabilitation of the country’s stadia.
“It will also push us to address the state of our stadia. By the way we can’t keep hiding behind a ‘poor drainage system’ because even in Europe, they play during rainy seasons, yet they don’t complain about poor drainage.”
Ngezi Platinum coach Rodwell Dhlakama said, “We are definitely going to adjust. We can’t play the games and finish in time, the situation will force us to follow the international calendar. But if we are to revert to the old calendar, that will be up to the authorities. We can’t go against this natural phenomenon, we have to dance according to its tune,” said Dhlakama.
Manica Diamonds’ gaffer Johanisi Nhumwa said, “Once we resume playing, the load will be too much for the players and they will be susceptible to injuries. Fixtures will obviously be congested.
“I really hope the football authorities will reschedule the fixtures up to mid-December. Shifting the calendar will enable us to match the international calendars.”
Triangle coach Taurai Mangwiro said, “I am sure the responsible authorities will weigh the options and come up with a decision on when the season can start. No one saw this coming and it should never be turned into a blame game. As a club, we will respect whatever decision is made and we will abide by that. The safety of the Zimbabwean citizens is our greatest priority for now.”
However, Mangwiro highlighted that a lot of consultation is required for the alignment of the local calendar to those of other leagues.
