THE Caf Club Licensing rules have claimed their first scalp in the Premier Soccer League.
REPORT BY WELLINGTON TONI SPORTS EDITOR Newly-promoted ZPC Kariba coach Joisten Mathuthu has been left jobless by the regulations and has been replaced by former Caps United assistant coach Saul Chaminuka.
Chaminuka, according to sources, arrived back in Harare yesterday morning after sealing a deal with the club.
“He will select his new assistants in due course, but Patson Ndabambi is the new team manager. Mathuthu does not have the required qualifications and ZPC does not want to fall out of line with the league.
“Initially, Biggie Zuze was due to make the trip, but chickened out at the last minute and Chaminuka took over. Taurai Mangwiro was also part of the team and is still likely to leave Caps United before the season starts,” sources said yesterday.
ZPC chairman Munyaradzi Nduna was not immediately available for comment. Mathuthu holds a Level 2 coaching course against the Caf B licence required by the continental body as minimum requirement to sit on the technical bench.
ZPC should have seen it coming in November when Caf stated that all clubs needed to have qualified coaches for them to be allowed to take part in the Champions League and the Confederation Cup-a requirement that Dynamos’ Kalisto Pasuwa and Philani Ncube of How Mine meet.
Dynamos will represent Zimbabwe in the Champions League while How Mine will play in the Confederation Cup despite losing 3-0 to Highlanders in the Mbada Diamonds Cup final on November 30.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Highlanders will be serving their last year of suspension from Caf inter-club competitions next year after pulling out of the 2012 edition after the draw had been conducted.
The club licensing directive was one of a host of decisions taken by the CAF Executive Committee meeting on September 21-22.
All national associations affiliated to CAF have been directed to achieve full implementation of the licensing system or risk having their clubs banned from CAF club competitions, but that does not mean those not taking part are exempt.
Congress, however, then gave clubs a one-year period to get themselves set for the new administrative system which has since the beginning of the new season taken effect.
The process, however, needs to be expedited to full implementation by the end of the year to avoid any sanctions from CAF.
The Club Licensing system is a basic working document that serves as guidelines for clubs to be in existence.
Clubs are required to fulfil these guidelines in order to obtain a license to operate in the football business.
Requirements for the license are divided into five categories (sporting, infrastructure, personnel and administrative, legal and financial), with each category being split into three grades A-C (mandatory and best-practice recommendation).
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela said yesterday: “For the Premier Soccer League, a coach must have Level Four, Caf B or better. In the 2014 season, no unqualified coach would be allowed to sit on the bench and all coaches would be licensed by Zifa.”
