By McGeorge Mbare
GWANDA-based Blanket Mine is on the verge of winning the Central Region Soccer League title automatically gaining promotion into the premiership of Zimbabwean football.
Blanket Mine face Kwekwe United on Sunday hoping to secure promotion on Matchday 33.
They were held to a 1-1 draw by Shurugwi in their previous fixture efectively denying them the title last week.
Regional leagues, including the Eastern, Southern, Northern and Central regions, exist to nurture talent, represent local communities and provide entertainment within their respective geographical boundaries.
In this case, Blanket Mine is expected to represent and entertain the Matabeleland South community if they secure the PSL promotion.
The fulcrum of the matter is that Blanket Mine’s home ground is Sabiwa Stadium, while Phelandaba Stadium is also one of the team’s nearest options within Gwanda town.
Should Blanket Mine win the league and secure promotion, will it play its PSL matches in Matabeleland South or will the team be forced to use another PSL-approved stadium?
At present, the province does not have a stadium that meets PSL requirements although the nearest is Dulivhdzimu which has hosted these games before.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network, Blanket Mine secretary-general Obvious Mago said plans were in place to upgrade Sabiwa Stadium if the team secures promotion, although he expressed uncertainty about the timeline.
“Plans are in place to try and upgrade Sabiwa. The only challenge would be the timelines, as it might take longer than expected. It has not yet been finalised, but the plan is to remain in Gwanda if we qualify,” Mago said.
While Mago’s remarks indicate the club’s desire to keep football in Gwanda, his admission that the plans have not been finalised and that the process could take longer than expected raises questions about the practicality of the proposal.
This leaves open the possibility that, should Blanket Mine secure promotion, the team might not be able to host its home matches at Sabiwa Stadium.
Phelandaba Stadium may also prove unsuitable, having failed to host the team’s Munhumutapa Challenge quarter-final fixture against FC Platinum.
In previous years, Beitbridge-based Border Strikers were promoted to the PSL, but some of their matches were played at Mandava Stadium because Dulivhadzimu Stadium had not been approved to host top-flight football.
The possibility of being forced to relocate or use an alternative venue is a challenge Blanket Mine could face, judging by the recent Munhumutapa Challenge clash against FC Platinum, which was moved from its initial venue, Phelandaba Stadium, to Luveve Stadium.
Such arrangements deny local fans the opportunity to watch and enjoy their homegrown talent, while placing an additional financial burden on both the team and supporters who must travel to other towns to play or watch their team play.
Without mixing football with politics, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland South, Albert Nguluvhe, has often echoed the mantra of President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa that no one and no place should be left behind.
Although football operates independently of politics, stadiums are also part of the country’s infrastructure development.
The absence of a stadium in Matabeleland South that meets PSL requirements raises questions about the province’s sporting infrastructure and the opportunities available to its football-loving communities.
The situation is particularly concerning given that Matabeleland South has a history of producing and supporting competitive football teams such as Underhill and Border Strikers .
The question, therefore, is whether Blanket Mine will be able to bring top-flight football to Gwanda or whether the team and its supporters will uprooted beyond the province for a suitable home venue.
As the club edges closer to promotion, upgrading Sabiwa Stadium could be a significant step towards ensuring that Gwanda’s football supporters enjoy Premier Soccer League action on their home soil.
Alternatively, Maphisa Stadium which histed national Uhuru celebrations, would be an option.