We have witnessed great footballing sides in our local premiership but very few have stood the test of time. We will take a journey through time as we look at the great premier leagues sides that have given us so much joy and excitement and why most of them are now defunct as the staunch football fan is only left with the nostalgic memories of the games, the titles, the club legends.
Of the current top flight teams at the time writing this article only Dynamos FC, Highlanders FC, Caps United, Hwange FC and Black Rhinos have been in and around the premier league for at least the last 20 years. Many of the great footballing sides have disappeared into the mist of time. Talk about the Tanganda FC that featured a young Loyld Mutasa that won the Castle Cup in 1993, the championship winning Amazulu class of 2003 led by the talismanic Ronald “Gidiza” Sibanda with Luke Masomere on the bench, Mr Eric Rowsen (MHSRIP)’s ever competitive Motor action sides that graced our television screens throughout the 2000s.
As soccer fans we have sadly stood and watched sides go into obscurity. Zimbabwe Saints, Mhangura FC, Mwana Africa, Motor Action, Shabhani Mine, Rail Stars, Lancashire Steel F.C., Buymore, Kiglon, Lengthens, Njube Sundowns just to mention a few. Its possible some of these clubs may still be playing professionally but our football league pyramid is so poorly planned that its very hard to earn top flight status let alone survive financially while playing in the lower leagues.
However its only unfair to shoulder all the blame on ZIFA and the PSL for the poor football pyramid since there are a number of factors that have lead to the demise of these football clubs. From the get go as country we messed our football culture. Historically before the money started pouring in, Football has always been a working class sport with a deep sense of community hence the reason why most derbies are fiercely contested. The great football clubs whatever part of the world have been community based. Ten time African champions Al Ahly were founded when as a sports club for students to gather themselves for exercise and leisure. Club Atlético River Plate after the merger of two community clubs, “Santa Rosa” and “La Rosales”. Down south the founders of Orlando Pirates included migrant workers who moved from rural areas to work in the gold mines. The list goes and on and on.
Locally Highlanders and Dynamos are the closet representations of community sides which is evident in the huge following and most will agree the two biggest football clubs in the country with a religious following amongst its fans.
Highlanders and Dynamos might not have the financial muscle and cooperate backing of FC Platinum or Ngezi Platinum but they are community based teams with a legion of loyal fans and community members this is why it is highly unlikely for them to be in a position of facing extinction if anything they should be looking at ways to maximising this and realise their potential of being African giants.
Back to the subject matter, a common pattern is very clear to see. Most of football teams present and yesteryear have/are solely owned and sponsored by a cooperate. Hwange FC, FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum, Shabhani Mine, Mhangura, How Mine,Chicken Inn, even Caps United was formerly owned by Caps pharmaceuticals. In the event the company behind the team fails or becomes less profitable, it leaves the football club exposed financially. With the downward spiral of the Zimbabwean economy over the past twenty years companies have cut down on expenditure to remain afloat and most football programs/funding canceled leaving clubs the fend for themselves. The concequences has been disastrous for these clubs and most end up selling the franchise.
Just recently Harare City council has cut funding for Harare City FC which was relegated from the top flight as recent as last season citing misuse of funds. Such has been the fate of many clubs with the principal sponsor pulling out as soon as the clubs get relegated.
The point we are trying to drive home is we haven’t changed the way our footballs team are run since the 1980s ie one company forms and funds a football team until they get bored to illustrate with examples Rio Tinto, Tanganda, Dairiboard, Railstars, Lancashire Steel, Mhangura, Shabhani mine to mention a few, the mordern day of similarly structured football clubs include ZPC Kariba, Chicken Inn, FC Platinum, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Manica Diamonds. One wonders what will happen to these teams suppose the principal sponsor becomes less profitable or shuts down.
It is our opinion that, cooperates instead of running a whole football team, its in the best interest of our football to sponsor existing community teams, this is the model we have see in other countries and has worked well. Teams like Chegutu Pirates, Golden Eagles, Shamva United, Masvingo United, Karoi United, Banket United just to mentions a few community teams. This spreads the football across the country and cast i wider net to scoop up talent even from the remotest of places.
Persib Bandung players of the Indonesia Premier league pose with their 2019 home kit with multiple cooperates as shirt sponsors
We appreciate the work of companies and business people involved in football but us at Zimbofutball we disagree with the current model. Big teams need passionate fan bases and naturally when a team in your community does well you want to support it, you want to see local lads rise through the ranks you want to attend every home game, you want to celebrate the few trophies you pick along the way, proudly wear your town’s colors after a big win etc. Sadly these community teams are neglected by the cooperates in favour of either forming new teams entirely or buying out their franchises to quickly earn promotions.
