WE ARE back in that silly season again and of course, all promises and other things that go with elections given the news that the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) would this week commission an electoral committee to run polls that roll into action next month.
The elections start at the area zone level, the grassroots of football, next month, with provincials in January and February while the big one — to elect the national board — will be set to take place in March.
The groundwork for the board elections is apparently already in place with its highlight being the planned national tour by Zifa president Cuthbert Dube.
What the country is surely waiting to know are the candidates for the various levels and positions that will be contested, but surprises can be expected as football people of all persuasions will want to be elected into football administration, especially the national board.
It is apparently a requirement, just as in the political elections, that those seeking office resign from whatever other football-related interests that they hold or have in order to contest.
This is to avoid conflict of interest and such requirement is certainly applauded as a good example of best practice corporate governance.
The country should, therefore, brace itself for all sorts of candidates and letters of resignations — from referees, coaches, player agents (bona fide and pseudo alike), owners of clubs and even some shady characters.
The candidates will offer all sorts of promises, especially of taking Zimbabwe football to a higher level, in order to attract votes and the usual accusations of vote-buying will again come into the fore.
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Also expect some possible candidates to be banned from contesting for some crime or another, including imagined crimes against football!
In order to promote transparency and fairness, Zifa should tell the nation the criteria that will be used to screen candidates for the elections well before the start of the elections.
It would, in fact, be very ideal and opportune if the criteria were announced at the same time as the announcement of the electoral committee that will run the polls.
Such timing will give all of us, at least those interested in running for office, a lot of time to prepare and put together a campaign before submitting one’s candidacy.
Metallion Gold’s How Mine FC are certainly living a season well beyond even the wildest of their dreams.
After winning promotion from the Zifa Southern Region Division One at the end of last season, How Mine were certainly among the favourites to struggle and possibly face the dreaded relegation chop in their first tango with the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Instead their debut season in the PSL has turned into a huge success and it is not amiss to say How Mine are certainly punching well beyond their weight and expectations this year.
They are not fighting relegation and are now in the decider of the country’s richest knockout competition, the Mbada Diamonds Cup.
Their participation in the final gives How Mine a run in the Caf Confederations Cup continental club tournament, even if they lose the final to Highlanders, provided the latter do not win their appeal against a Caf ban imposed for withdrawing from continental competition after being registered for such competition by Zifa (without their consent).
The ban on Highlanders, if it stays in place, will expire at the end of next season.
It must also be appreciated that even if Highlanders won their appeal against the ban it might not be prudent, purely on financial considerations, for them to go into Africa, the Mbada Diamonds Cup prize money and subsidy taken into account.
This is where How Mine, being owned by an international gold mining group, might have an advantage over their opponents in the final set to be played at Barbourfields Stadium on November 30.
While it is still too early to discuss the odds in the final, we surely should expect a firecracker of a decider, given that both teams reached the final in similar fashion – via identical 4-2 wins in post-match penalty shoot-outs.
What adds to the colour is that this final is a derby in which How Mine will feel they have an edge after beating Highlanders twice in the PSL championship race this season.
In other words, How Mine will not be overawed by the occasion, especially at a venue they are at home with.
Nigeria did themselves, and the whole of Africa, a mountain of pride when they romped to a record fourth Fifa Under-17 World Cup title on Friday night, beating defending champions Mexico 3-0 in the title decider.
The title enabled Nigeria to pip the great South American football nation Brazil who hold three Under-17 titles.
The West Africans’ victory on Friday added to their three titles won in China in 1985, Japan in 1993 and South Korea in 2007.
