HARARE The crowning of Gunners as the 2009 Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions appears to confirm a fresh wind of change quietly sweeping across the local soccer landscape, where power is slowly but surely shifting from the domestic games traditional giants. (Pictured: Fathy
Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United Zimbabwean footballs traditional Big Three have ruled the domestic game for decades dominating both league and knockout matches that it was almost fait accompli that save for the very odd season the championship crown would certainly land on the shelves of one of the trios display cabinet.
Between 1980 and 2007 the big three have won 22 of the 27 league titles on offer with Dynamos claiming 12, Highlanders seven and CAPS United three. Only the sporadic interventions by Black Rhinos (twice), Zimbabwe Saints, Black Aces and Amazulu (once each) has dented the dominance of the traditional giants.
Blackpool phenomenon
But a lot has been happening on the domestic football scene over the years. A phenomenon that started with the emergence in the 90s of teams such as Blackpool although they failed to win the league has today crystallized into two consecutive league titles for the minnows Monomotapa in 2008 and Gunners in 2009.
The Blackpool phenomenon has shown that ambitious business people and not necessarily the big companies can form well-run football teams that can take on the might of the games household names.
The performance by little known clubs Gunners, Monomotapa, Lengthens and even Shooting Stars in the past two years has shaken the Zimbabwean soccer hierarchy to its foundations. Rank outsiders Gunners, were crowned champions of Zimbabwe two weeks ago when they lifted their maiden league title following their 2-0 victory over Harare giants Dynamos.
That Gunners won the league title in only their second year in the elite league at the expense of seasoned campaigners is a clear signal that the balance of power in the Zimbabwean game has been turned on its head.
Last year it was minnows Monomotapa then under the guidance of rookie coach Norman Mapeza who went to the winners podium at the end of the season as they put up a fabulous display which stunned local football followers throughout the campaign. Then as now, Dynamos also came second in that title race which gave Monomotapa a ticket to the lucrative African Champions League.
And the modest Harare side did not disappoint as they defied odds staked against them to go all the way to reach the mini-league phase of the Champions League. During that dream campaign on the continent, they built a proud home record turning Rufaro Stadium into an impregnable fortress which was only breached once by eventual African Champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo who beat them 2-0.
Lengthens, who were also dark horses in the race for the coveted league title finished a respectable fifth position only conceding fourth place to Highlanders on goals scored as they had the same number of points (43). Even Shooting Stars, who were under the guidance of youthful coaches Lloyd Mutasa and Calisto Pasuwa also had a say in the title race before they settled for a respectable seventh position with 41 points.
Underdogs dominate
Highlanders, who in recent years appeared to believe it was their divine right to win the league title after lifting it on four successive seasons in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002 before lifting it again in 2006 have found the going tough in the past two years in which they have played second fiddle to the minnows.
CAPS United last won the league title in 2005 under the guidance of former Warriors coach Charles Mhlauri while city rivals Dynamos were winners in 2007, leaving the underdogs to dominate the past two seasons. Soccer followers believe the domination by the underdogs should be celebrated as it marks the birth of true competition in domestic football.
“It’s Zimbabwe’s football revolution,” says Lymon Mbwera a soccer fan. “Now smaller teams are showing they have what it takes to reach The Promised Land. The good thing is that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have acknowledged that we have talent in Zimbabwe. Our league is now one of the 12 best on the continent.”
Zimbabwe have been allocated two extra slots in continental club competitions the African Champions League and CAF Confederations Cup following the performance by local teams over the past five years. It therefore remains to be seen how Gunners will fare in their first attempt on the continental Safari next year.
Post published in: Football