Money talks in football, and at Scottland FC, it is speaking very loudly indeed.
Scottland FC president Honourable Pedzai "Scott" Sakupwanya has announced that each player will pocket US$5000 if Mabviravira finish top of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League standings after Matchday 17, raising the stakes dramatically in what is already one of the most compelling title races in recent Zimbabwean football history.
The announcement comes on the back of Sakupwanya already digging deeper into his pockets than initially promised. Following Sunday's impressive 2-0 victory over Caps United at the National Sports Stadium, players had been expecting a US$1500 bonus, but the club president upgraded that figure to US$2000 each, rewarding not just the result but the overall quality of the performance.
Scottland currently sit second in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League standings, level on points with leaders Hardrock but behind on goal difference. The title is very much in their own hands, with two matches remaining in the first round, a tricky away trip to Herentals followed by a home fixture against Triangle.
With US$5000 per player on the line, those two matches have taken on a whole new dimension for the Scottland squad. The incentive structure being put in place by Sakupwanya is creating an environment where players have every reason to push themselves to the limit in pursuit of top spot.
For the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League as a whole, Scottland's financial ambition is adding an extra layer of excitement to a title race that already had supporters on the edge of their seats.
