Sheasham in major climb down

Gweru (New Ziana) –Castle Lager Premier Soccer League newboys Sheasham has made a major climb down and indicated that it will fulfil its home matches at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane if their ground Bata Stadium is not approved in time for their next match.

Affectionately known as the Construction Boys, Sheasham faces a disciplinary hearing, a hefty fine and loss of three points after it boycotted its match with Caps United at Mandava Stadium last Sunday.

The PSL debutants refused to fulfil the fixture after questioning the decision of the PSL to order them to play their home matches at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane instead of Bata Stadium which they had renovated and the Zimbabwe Football Association First Instance Board (FIB) had approved two weeks back and they had also hosted Highlanders Football Club there.

This was despite the PSL having booked the venue for them and offered them US$2 000 after they indicated that they had not budgeted for the travel expenses.

Sheasham vice president Happiness Dziva said on Friday they had attended to almost everything indicated by the FIB and did not see the reason for the ground not being approved.

“We believe that we have zeroed in on the particular areas we got communication to work on and we don’t see any other reason why we probably might not get the approval because we are working on the very things the FIB advised us to attend to,” he said.

He said they had also worked on the contentious terrace which circulated on social media, where they were still to put concrete to the bedding during the Highlanders game.

“When we hosted Highlanders, we had done the VIP, VVIP and part of the rest of ground, since then, terraces have been cast and no one will sit in the sand. After a day or so, we will have finished the 30 metres left.”

Dziva said they had, through their board, written to the FIB to come for reassessment and they expected them anytime.

He said up to now they did not understand the reason for the reversal, after the first approval by the FIB.

“As to what then happened to reverse the approval is difficult to say but the club president (Clever Mandaza) wrote to ZIFA to establish what had caused the reversal but we never really got any explanation. So it is difficult for me to give an answer because we don’t really know. Otherwise anything I say becomes speculation,” he explained.

Dziva also dismissed assertions that there was bad blood between Sheasham and PSL.

“Some of the responses we are getting from them is not what we are expecting, but all the same we are in communication with them using official channels and they are responding to our communications.

“Our relationship with PSL is cordial. As long as we haven’t fought, I think it’s cordial. When we have different points or the way we see things differently, doesn’t necessarily mean we do not have a relationship.

“We hope that with the communication we are holding through the board all this will be behind us as we focus on the season,” he said.

Dziva said in the event that the FIB sticks to its guns and does not approve Bata Stadium, they will have no choice but to fulfil them at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane.

“We are a professional side and we have an obligation to fulfil our matches so we will definitely fulfil our fixtures,” he said.

Coach John Nyikadzino said he hoped his charges would rise from the temporary setback that saw them failing to fulfil their match against Caps United in Week 10 at Mandava Stadium in protest of the reversal.

The Construction Boys travel to Chiredzi for a date with Triangle this weekend.

New Ziana