SuperSport United’s Stan Matthews says Zimbabwe’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League has the potential to reach the DStv Premiership standard but on one condition.
The Matsatsantsa boss was one of the main speakers at a football symposium held in Zimbabwe on Monday.
Zimbabwe’s PSL has been on a three-week break owing to a stadia crisis in the country.
Stan Matthews acknowledges the role Zimbabwean players have made to make the DStv Premiership tick.
But SuperSport United’s Stan Matthews says the administrators’ failure to fully commercialise the game has let down the brand.
WHY ZIMBABWEAN IS FAILING TO EMULATE THE DSTV PREMIERSHIP
The veteran administrator says poor administration has made Zimbabwe to be the problem child of African football.
“The brand is good, the work ethic is good, the character is good. The value system is almost similar to South Africa,” said Mathews.
“Zimbabwean football is good but it has been put in the corner to say, it’s a problem child.
“That’s why the chairman is politically strong to defend his constituency. He appealed three times for equal money to teams and small grants.
He added that potential sponsors and government lost faith in football administrators in the country.
“However I wouldn’t ask for money help teams. I would ask for the minister to help make perimeter board signage for all TV games.
“Its because it can be accounted for. She can see it and can see that it was not stolen,” he said.
THE ISSUE OF STADIUM AND BROADCASTING RIGHTS
He said they have lost money from broadcasting partnerships due to poor management.
“You can’t sell anything reliably when someone else owns your rights. If you don’t have a clean stadia, that you also don’t has legal rights, you can’t sell anything.”
Stan Matthews added: “Uganda league once collapsed because of this issue. The municipality came and took over. It was an easy ambush marketing. The end result is no professional football in Uganda.
“Unless you tackle this issue of rights, which you have in your stadia. You have to have these rights.
“You need stick together and empower your leadership. Take this seriously. If you don’t do that then you will remain poor as clubs and leagues. Know what you want.”
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