THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) has issued a stern warning to the four newly-promoted teams not to cause any trouble when the season starts next month. BY HENRY MHARA
PSL chairman Twine Phiri issued the warning on the opening of a two-day induction course for Whawha FC, Flame Lily FC, Tsholotsho FC and Dongo Sawmill, who are beginning life in the top-flight league.
Chapungu and ZPC Kariba, who were promoted into the league last season but could not be inducted that time, are also attending.
Coming from a season blighted by numerous cases of indiscipline by some clubs last year, what is of particular concern to the PSL, is for the clubs to ensure that the image of the league’ sponsors, Delta Beverages, is protected at all costs.
The course is being conducted by PSL chief executive officer Kennedy Ndebele, who is also a Caf and Fifa instructor.
“Coming from the lower leagues to the top league there are a lot of changes that you will find,” Phiri said.
“You have to make sure that you fulfil our fixtures and you should be there on time. We should not only thrive to respect ourselves and each other, but respect the contracts with our sponsors, that’s the major thing we must respect. It’s not easy to have find a sponsor. The moment you do good things at your clubs it’s easy for you to lure sponsors.
“Our economy as you are aware is not well, we are living in a situation where things are very hard to come by and we just pray that we will be able to finish the league.
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“Fortunately, for us we already have our sponsors whom we should all take care of. When they come to your games, please try and make sure those people are respected. You should try and make sure that whatever you learn here is implemented.”
The PSL has said the league season will start on March 7 and the fixture list is expected to be released anytime next week.
Phiri urged the promoted teams, together with the rest of the clubs to also respect the media who help promote the PSL brand to the rest of the world.
The relationship though, Phiri added, should be reciprocal.
“We are trying to make our league the best in Africa. You should respect our media. They are the face of the public, they are the guys who disseminate information to the public so we should be able to give them all the information they might require and also to provide the facilities they might want to use.
“You must make sure to give them facilities where there is Internet services so that information gets to the people when things happen. To members of the media, you guys should sympathise with our new teams. These people are still learning, yes, lets criticise them, but we should remember they are still learning and we should be very patient with them,” Phiri said.
The PSL boss said there will be another course for all PSL teams later in the year.
“When you finish tomorrow, (today) that’s not the end of learning. We will keep on having these kinds of workshops. We will have another one midyear with all the 16 PSL teams,” he said.
Last season blighted by incidences of unruliness by clubs, players fighting, ranging from pitch invasions and missile throwing by supporters, match kick-off delays, use of undesignated entry points, failure to provide properly cleaned dressing rooms and failure to provide simple team sheets.
