The decision by the ZIFA to scrap off promotional play offs for teams in division one to qualify for the top flight league on the last minute has been met with mixed feelings.
Four teams are now to qualify from the four division one regions sparking fury from the bottom teams on the log of the Castle Premier Soccer League. They used to be 3 regions since 2010 and play offs used to be played in the Southern region and Eastern region.
Last year ZIFA councilors met and decided that for the 2017 PSL season, teams from the four division leagues will have play offs to decide two teams to enter the top flight league.
A u- turn was made on the promotional play offs with only less than four games to the end of the PSL season. There is jabbering and jittering over the issue. SportWay interviewed a junior coach who hailed the decision as professional.
“To be frank play offs had disadvantages, because play offs are much constituted by bias from referees”, said Coach Gilbert”Gidza” Phiri of Super Strikers Academy. “When clubs play offs, there is a high risk of clubs bribing referees as the ticket to enter the top flight will be decided on a single day”, he added.
Asked if it was not of inconvenience as the decision was done on a short notice, Coach Gidza replied, “There is no inconvenience; in soccer we should give each other a chance so that each team can perform their maximum capacity. He also said automatic qualification brings competition because not all the teams that would have been promoted in the last year’s season will be relegated.
Coach Gidza commended the local premier league as compared to the South African one but bemoaned lack of sponsorship.”If the corporate world injects money, our league will be noticed more than down south”, he said
News Sport Online 