Raymond Jaravaza
FOOTBALL must restart as soon as yesterday otherwise the local game risks falling behind in junior development right up to the quality of the national team, a top football official has said.
Zimbabwe Saints board of trustees’ chairman Vincent Pamire, whose club is on a revival mission to get back into professional football, says two years of no football will have detrimental effects on local football in years to come.
“Something must be done at a national level to resume football, from junior level up the Premier Soccer League, otherwise all the hard work put by clubs in the last few years to develop the game will go to waste and the effects will be felt in years to come.
“South Africa are in their second season since football the world over was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and we are yet to see any meaningful steps to bring back our football without constant disruptions.
“As a country we will only have ourselves to blame when the national teams continuously perform dismally because the same clubs that are supposed to feed players into the Warriors and Mighty Warriors are not playing football,” said Pamire.
The veteran administrator said the revival of Zimbabwe Saints was still on course and the club administrators were working flat out to make sure everything was in place when football resumes.
“The revival of Zimbabwe Saints is not just a dream but it is a mission that we want to see accomplished and the executive is working hard to make sure that our supporters watch their team when football is eventually given the green light to resume,” he said.
The club has roped in several sponsors like passenger transport operator Mzansi Express who donated tracksuits, playing kit and goal nets.
Pamire believes the club has learnt from its past mistakes and they are now determined to make their return a success.
“I was once the chairman of Zimbabwe Saints and I accept that something went wrong somewhere. I must have made a mistake because to my knowledge, having bought this sports club and leaving the team in the Premier Soccer League, due diligence wasn’t done when I handed the button on my way to Zifa. I take responsibility for those past mistakes,” he said.
Chikwata bounced back into the Zifa Southern Region Division One League last year after clearing debts in excess of US$5 000 owed to Zifa backdated to 2014.
