The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
IN the absence of sound corporate partnership owing to decades of economic meltdown in the country, nurturing and sale of players could be the only avenue for revenue for financially struggling clubs in Zimbabwe.
Football clubs in the country have been struggling just to keep head above water and a few lucky ones have found sponsorship from companies that can still spare something for the country’s number one sporting discipline.
In some countries, sponsors have been competing to earn the right to partner football clubs but the script has been different for African clubs, Zimbabwean to be particular.
Perhaps the low capacity utilisation in industry spurred by harsh economic conditions have been the chief cause of lack of corporate partnership for clubs.
And now the current Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, which have seen many companies failing to meet the financial demands of their own core business, has badly exposed the financial fragiliness of local clubs.
Only recently, CAPS United players were involved in a scuffle with their vice chairperson Authur Tutani as they vented the frustration of not getting paid on him.
The struggle to stay afloat in these difficult times does not start and end with CAPS United.
George Deda
Manica Diamonds only recently started settling salary arrears with their players after they had gone for three months without paying as the club grappled with a budget thrown array by Covid-19 lockdown let alone the hyper inflationary environment.
Even though Covid-19 lockdown has badly exposed the financial weaknesses of local clubs, the struggle to fund their operations has always been real for most teams in the country’s top flight league.
The story is even worse off for lower leagues.
For example, it is now a norm in the Zifa Eastern Region Division One for clubs to be invited to take part in the league only if they meet the financial demands of the league and no consideration is being taken of the clubs’ capacity to match the competition in the league as it used to be the case in the past when the league relegated poor performing teams.
Enorsement deals that come with revenue for players and clubs in other parts of the world where things are normal are not existent in the vocubularly of Zimbabwean footbal.
Financier of the now defunct former PSL title winners Gunners FC, Cuthbert Chitima, an old hand in domestic football business, said: “The truth of the matter is what is needed in Zimbabwean football corridors is a robust junior clubs and competitions.
We really need to invest in Under 10s, 12s, 14s and so on. Players that grow up in a certain club have respect for that club.
“You will have less of boycotts and industrial action in cases of limited financial income as a club. You have their commitment. This is also one way you will be guaranteed of selling a player at the age of 19, 20 or 21.
This is when you can get more. The market goes beyond South Africa. The reason we have been selling to South Africa only is because we have been exporting people who in their late 20s. The lucrative Euroapen market wants much younger players.
“Therefore, the only way forward is to have robust junior football where we identify talent at a early age and nurture is while binding contractual agreements are in place.”George Deda, a Harare based player transfer business expert who has been around since 1993, said: “What many clubs do not understand or are not aware of is that football players are probably the most valuable assets of the club.
When you want to unlock value or cash revenue into the coffers of the club the players are the ones that bring the much needed revenue either by selling or other means.
“In this Coronavirus pandemic and also in light of exchange rate dynamics it is not a bad idea for most of the clubs in the Premier League to sell one or two players so that they bring in cash flows and allow clubs run smoothily.”Deda spoke glowingly of how ageing Dutch mentor Weslaw Graboski managed to keep the Darryn T project afloat.
“I could cite Weslaw Graboski as an example, was able to run Drryn T basically by selling one or two players every season to European clubs either on permanent basis or otherwise. One thing that I can I tell you a team that I can tell you never at one point did we hear there was turmoil at Drryn T,” he said. Deda said local clubs have a lot to learn about the importance of treating players as assets.
“This is the philosophy most clubs take. There are clubs that you know, like it or hate it, know they cannot win the Premiership title. Their only concern is Premiership survival. When bigger clubs like Manchester United come they sell even their star player. Go back to the basics, scout for anoyher unpolished and maintain their place.
“After all, if a local club sells a player for US$30 000 or US$40 000, it’s much more than winning the Castle Lager Premiership itself. Sell one or two players regularly to keep your heads above water.
“There are clubs like Chicken Inn who have done that successifuly. That is one club that has never known so much disharmony because of finances because of a business culture that generates revenue,” he said.
Deda narrowed his football lecture to Manica Diamonds saying: “For example, a club like Manica Diamonds have reportedly not paid their players’ salaries for three months and yet they have two or three players that can be sold and solve all their problems. They can sell the likes of Last Jesi and Stanley Ngala at a price of US$40 000 or US$50 000 each and forget about their salaries headache. It’s time clubs use what they have to achieve what they want,” said Deda.
Indeed, Manica Diamomds chairperson Masimba Chihowa conceded that there is value in sale of players.
“As a club we fully understand the value of selling players. This is why we have not stood in the path of any player who wants to move, never at any moment. It is only a matter of time before we do the same with Last Jesi and Stanley Ngala. These are just examples but we believe the existence of Manica Diamonds Juniors is ample evidence of our understanding of the need of investing in players,” said Chihowa.
Does it mean, therefore, that clubs do not understand the simple mathematics of profit and loss account in sale of players?
Certainly no!
The ownership and sale of players in Zimbabwe as a business has come with its own challenges for those investing their time, resources and energy in teaching youngsters football skills.
Clubs and academies have lost out on revenue after grooming players to a certain age.
Names such as former Warriirs captain Willard Katsande, ex national team goalkeeper Washington Arubi and many more who trace their roots Sakubva quickly come to mind especially in view of how La Sakubva – a talent nursery that honed their football skills – does not have anything to show for their sweat.
PSL outfit Chicken Inn secretary general Tawengwa Hara said: “It is a tricky situation. The PSL uniform contract template that is uses to bind players and clubs to an agreement has loopholes that unscrupulous agents are quick to manipulate.
“You can only follow that contractual format and it’s open to manipulation by those who will simply wait for six or so months for the player’s contract to expire and they snatch the player as a free agent. If we as clubs have had a buy-in in the formation of the contract we would also have ensured there are clauses that also benefit clubs. You cannot add or subtract anything from their contract template,” said the prominent Bulawayo based legal practitioner.
However, when contacted for comment, PSL spokesperson Kudzai Bare, who confirmed that the contractual template that clubs use in PSL is uniform, said clubs have the leeway to tie down their players well before contracts expire.
“There is a standard player contract used by all clubs as of 2020. This standard contract came as a requirement from fifa and involved different organizations including ZIFA, FUZ, Fifpro and the WLF.
“The contract is a complete document that can not be altered. Clubs have to renew contracts at least 6 months before the expiry of their contracts,” said Bare.
It would appear the culture of a business approach to player sales is evidently lacking in Zimbabwean football to the extent that the Grear Trek south of Limpopo has been negatively criticised negatively over the years.
In recent years, for example, Dynamos withheld Camerounian Eupopa when South African club Polokwane wanted his services for a considerable amount as the Harare club argued the amount offered was too small.
Less than half a year down the line the player left with costs for the club.
Be that as it may, soul searching is a must for domestic football clubs on how their players can be their real capital and lifeblood for their survival.
