Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Set to Elect Chairperson

HARARE — 

The Premier Soccer League family will on Saturday meet to elect a new chairman to replace the departed Twine Phiri.

Dynamos and Highlanders chairmen Kenny Mubaiwa and Peter Dube will go head to head for the PSL chairmanship which was left vacant following the unceremonious departure of Twine Phiri.

Dube, who was Phiri’s deputy, has been acting chairman since Phiri was forced out of office by the new Zimbabwe Football Association authorities two months ago.

On the other hand, Mubaiwa who has been Dynamos chairman for the past five years, is having his second attempt at the PSL top post following his humiliation 12 to three votes by Phiri in the last election in 2014.

Apart from leading the top flight body, the PSL chairman also sits on the Zifa board. Zifa will conduct the elections.

However, there is less interest from the public in that election as they are more interested in action on the field of play rather than events that take place boardrooms.

In fact, the talk of the football fraternity has been the Zimbabwe National Army Charities Shield quarter final clash between Bulawayo rivals, Chicken Inn and Highlanders, at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.

Chicken Inn are coming into the game after a gutsy Caf Champions League performance which drew them a lot of praise including from Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane who at one time coached the South African national team.

On the other hand, Mubaiwa who has been Dynamos chairman for the past five years, is having his second attempt at the PSL top post following his humiliation 12 to three votes by Phiri in the last election in 2014.

The last time the two teams met was in the Easycall Cup final which Highlanders won 1-0 but Caps United fan Farirayi Matamba thinks the Game Cocks have too much firepower for Bosso.

“They are the champions from last season and nothing much has changed. They are still playing good football. I am hopeful that they will sail through,” said Matamba.

However, former Highlanders vice chairman Mgcini Mpofu is not reading much into Chicken Inn’s current form and says his team would be going all flat out for the title and the money on offer which could be a major boost before the start of the season.

“It gives us the chance to make sure that, our coffers are beefed up,” said Mpofu.

Football analyst Andrew Rwodzi is of the opinion that the team that scores first is going to sail through to the semi­-finals.

“The team that gets the chance to score first, will win the game,” said Rwodzi.

The other quarter final game is across the country at Rufaro Stadium where Harare City will face the Green Machine of Caps United.

The Harare City club is also returning from a successful Caf Confederation Cup trip to Madagascar and coach Taurayi Mangwiro says despite the long trip, they are fancying their chances of overcoming Caps United.

“We want to win the cup and we fancy our chances heavily,” said Mangwiro.

Caps United on their part have also gone through an off season transitional period and Matamba says they are ready for everything that the opposition will throw at them this season.

“Caps United is going to make an impact not only on this game but others to come. If you look very closely you see that Caps have new acquisitions and the administration is sound. We are raring to go,” said Matamba.

The other quarter final is at Mandava Stadium between 2014 ZNA Charities Shield winners FC Platinum and How Mine.

The winners of the ZNA Charities Shield will receive $75,000 while the runners up get $50,000. ZPC Kariba are already through to the semi-finals after last weekend’s 1-0 win over Dynamos.