Eddie Chivero
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE National Supporters Association (ZNSA) president Eddie Chivero made a passionate appeal to Zifa president Philip Chiyangwa to speedily deal with the Premiership play-offs saga by making a decision that is in the best interest of football.
Chivero, a former Njube Sundowns executive member, said Zifa councillors clamouring for the scrapping of promotional play-offs are ill-advised and misleading clubs that they represent.
Zifa councillors last month resolved to relegate four teams instead of two as was the case last season.
A 2015 agreement resolved to drop two teams from the topflight league and promote an equal number through play-offs involving winners of Zifa’s four regional leagues.
With almost all the four regional First Division leagues about to end, Zifa is yet to come up with a clear position and Chivero said if the regions are not interested in play-offs then the PSL should not relegate any team.
Chivero said he finds it awkward for the councillors to revoke the earlier resolution because PSL declined to sponsor play-offs.
“Those clubs started the season knowing that there shall be play-offs and if ever there shall be changes, then it must be for next year’s competition.
These councillors mustn’t make sudden turnabouts because no one will take them seriously if they continue to react with emotions.
“Besides threats to sponsorship, there are also litigation risks, with PSL clubs which will end the season on position 13 and 14 approaching courts because rules can’t change midway in the season,” said Chivero.
“Actually these clubs are lucky that the PSL agreed to organise the play-offs at their expense, something that we never enjoyed when we played in the 2010 promotional play-offs during my days at Njube Sundowns.
“Then, all the teams which took part in the promotional play-offs paid $3 000 which was spent on logistics.
“The teams catered for their own travelling and accommodation. If these teams (the four regional champions) are serious about playing in the PSL, they should participate in the play-offs and show that they are capable of competing in the topflight,” he said.
Teams that took part in the 2010 promotional play-offs were Sundowns, Black Mambas, now known as ZRP FC, Quelaton and Masvingo. Mambas won promotion while the other three clubs have since disbanded.
Chivero said as supporters they back the move to axe two teams because in the past “mediocre” clubs were promoted into the PSL compromising the quality of the league — @ZililoR.