Ex-DeMbare boss challenges clubs

Langton Nyakwenda

Zimpapers Sports Hub

THE CAF Inter-club 2024/2025 season has reached the quarter-final stage, with a familiar cast of teams that also cements North Africa’s continued dominance in both the Champions League and Confederation Cup competitions.

The line-up of the last eight teams in each of the competitions was concluded 10 days ago, after an exciting conclusion to the group stages.

Six out of the eight Champions League teams competing in the quarter-finals are from North Africa: defending champions Al Ahly and their Egyptian rivals Pyramids, MC Alger (Algeria), Al Hilal (Sudan), AS FAR (Morocco), and Tunisia’s Esperance.

The South African pair of giants, Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, complete the cast.

North African clubs also dominate in the Confederation Cup, where five of the quarter-finalists are from that part of the continent.

Al Masry and Zamalek (Egypt), CS Constantine and USM Algeria (Algeria), and RS Berkane of Morocco are the North African clubs still in the Confederation Cup.

They have been joined by seasoned campaigners ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), Simba SC (Tanzania), and Stellenbosch of South Africa.

The two-legged quarter-finals for both competitions will be staged in March and April.

Once again, there is no team from Zimbabwe in the knock-out stage of Africa’s Inter-club competitions.

Winners of the 2023 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title, Ngezi Platinum Stars, faltered in the first round of the Champions League, while Dynamos came within 90 minutes of reaching the group stage of the Confederation Cup. For decades, Zimbabwean clubs have struggled on the continental stage.

The last club from Zimbabwe to go as far as the semi-final in the Champions League was Dynamos in 2008.

A decade earlier, DeMbare had reached the final under the guidance of legendary coach Sunday Chidzambwa.

CAPS United came close in 2017 but could not sail past the group stages.

FC Platinum also failed to progress beyond the group stage in 2019 and 2020.

“The fact that Dynamos remain the only team to reach the final of the Champions League, a feat they achieved way back in 1998, shows you that our football has failed to progress,” says Patson Moyo.

Moyo chaired the Dynamos executive committee when the Harare giants reached the 2008 semi-finals.

Moyo, who also chaired a Warriors fundraising committee, notes that Zimbabwean clubs lack proper structures that support sustainable growth.

He is hoping that the newly elected ZIFA executive committee, led by business executive Nqobile Magwizi, will create an environment that allows local clubs to transform.

Most clubs in Zimbabwe still fall short of FIFA Club Licencing requirements.

Yet these are a key elements in promoting the professionalisation of football across the globe.

“The ZIFA elections, which ushered in a new board, were a great milestone for our football here in Zimbabwe,” said Moyo.

“I want to congratulate the new president, Magwizi, and I urge all to rally behind this new administration by giving them all the support.

“Our football needs massive transformation because we are lagging behind.

“We need to get our football back on the world map and this can only be attained if our clubs do well in Africa,” added Moyo.

Since the Dynamos 2008 semi-final feat, no team from Zimbabwe has reached that stage. “That statistic is worrying, because it’s over 15 years ago, and by now we should have moved forward.

“In 2008, Dynamos were rated the eighth-best team in Africa.

“Had we maintained that trajectory, maybe by now we should be having our own teams challenging for honours in Africa,” said Moyo.

The burly administrator is no longer involved in mainstream football, as he now leads a company that recently secured a three-year air service permit and is planning to launch passenger and cargo flights to various destinations, including London.

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