Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) is headed for a clash with Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs over the soccer mother body’s demands for payment of clearance letters for members of their technical teams.

Clubs are arguing that they settled registration fees at the beginning of the season but Zifa is having none of it and is demanding that clubs pay US$150 per member of the technical team which is the gazetted registration fee per year.

However, clubs feel that Zifa is squeezing them for cash. 

They argue that while they appreciate that some have outstanding registration fees, the norm has been that all communication comes through the PSL and not directly to clubs as is the case now.

“If you look at it, you’ll be forgiven to think that Zifa is on a fundraising initiative. We’re not saying they mustn’t implement Club Licensing but in doing so, they’re being unreasonable. How do you justify that those who got clearances on Friday (August 19) didn’t pay for those clearances, yet those who got cleared on Monday (August 22) have been asked to pay. 

“In some instances, we’re having clearances being held by Zifa even though we paid for them. Zifa says we owe them but this is all confusing because when the season started we paid for these licences, now there are only 10 games left, why should we pay again?” said an official of one of the clubs.

Another club official said: “It’s not that the PSL clubs don’t owe Zifa licence fees for players and technical staff, but that communication should be done through the PSL. There are recovery processes that have been done before and to call us as clubs directly and tell us that they have clearances and they will not release them if we don’t pay is unfair. If ever a club owes, what we know is that the PSL withholds prize money to settle those debts.”

A massive clean-up exercise targeted at having only qualified personnel and authorised individuals within the game is being enforced by the PSL, a development that is in line with making sure that clubs adhere to Fifa/Caf Club Licensing requirements.

Annoyed by an increase of unqualified coaches and supporting staff at the dugout, the PSL in June notified clubs that they have to get clearances from Zifa and provide requisite qualifications of members of their technical teams for accreditation.

Zifa spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela denied the allegation that they want to make money from clubs.

“There were so many teams that were having unqualified personnel in their technical teams hence these measures which are meant to address the problem. There are some teams that are in fees arrears who are being asked to clear their arrears. The clubs that have been given waivers are not being affected by penalties for illegally sitting on the benches,” said Gwesela.

The PSL had given clubs a July 1 deadline but most clubs had by end of last week not submitted clearances.

Clubs that took part in the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup games played last weekend were caught unawares when members of their technical teams who had no accreditation were ejected from the technical area.

Technical staff members that should be accredited include coaches, team managers, kits managers, doctors, physiotherapists, fitness trainers and Covid-19 compliance officers.

Chronicle Sport has it on good authority that a majority of PSL teams are not compliant.

Teams that had members of their staff barred from the technical area last week are defending league and Chibuku Super Cup champions FC Platinum whose assistant coach Daniel Veremu has Caf B and requires a Zifa waiver to be at the bench, Chicken Inn’s goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro, Yadah’s Trymore Mtisi who is registered as a Covid-19 compliant officer and holds Level 1 and 2 coaching certificates.

Bosso had coach Baltermar Brito, doctor Shepherd Khumalo and manager Vezigama Dlodlo on the bench against Triangle, with assistant coaches Antonio Torres, a holder of a Uefa B badge, Joel Luphahla (Caf C) and fitness trainer Harold Nhachi not accredited.

Nhachi has submitted his fitness qualifications while the club has reportedly registered Torres as a fitness coach and Bosso is hopeful of getting Luphahla accredited on a waiver.

Highlanders’ league opponents Caps United, who they face tomorrow have two assistant coaches Tostao Kwashi and Tonderai Marume on red.

Harare giants Dynamos’ technical officials ineligible to be on the bench are assistant coach Naison Muchekela (Caf C) and kit manager Harry Lusengo while Tendai Samanja and Maxwell Nyamupanendengu of Harare City are also not accredited.

Cranborne Bullets, Bulawayo City, Herentals, Ngezi Platinum Stars, Tenax CS FC Triangle United, Whawha and Black Rhinos have also not been spared.

Zifa implemented standardisation for local football coaching that requires all top-flight coaches to possess a Caf A licence at the beginning of the 2017 season.

Standardisation of coaches meant that Premiership gaffers and their trainers should be in possession of a Caf A badge. Division One coaches should have minimum of Caf B while assistant coaches are required to be holders of a Caf C or Zifa Level Four licence.

In the Second Division, a coach should have a Caf C licence while his understudies are required to have a Level Three qualification as a minimum standard.

The coaching standards also cascaded down to Division Three, tertiary institutions and schools. For secondary schools, a Zifa Level Two badge became mandatory and  primary school football coaches were expected to have at least evel Two certificate.

Zimbabwe last held a Caf A course in January 2017, a year in which they implemented standardisation of coaches which affected a number of Caf B badge holders who could not coach in the Premiership.

According to Zifa, the country only has 75 Caf A trained coaches. – @ZililoR.