THE problems we have at national team level have also hit our clubs hard as Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars will also have to play their pan African competition home matches in foreign lands.
Dynamos have picked Orlando Stadium in South Africa as their possible home ground while Ngezi Platinum Stars are still to decide on theirs.
This is a big disadvantage to the Zimbabwean clubs as in football, home advantage plays a big role in determining who progresses further in any competition.
In fact, statistics and history show that African clubs that have won their home matches convincingly are the ones which have gone on to win major competitions on the continent.
Surely, playing in foreign lands will also be costly for our already financially struggling clubs who will be forced to pay for airfares, accommodation and other expenses after every two weeks of the month. It will also be a big burden for Dynamos and Ngezi as they are also supposed to look after the welfare of the away team - this time in a foreign land where they do not receive special deals.
This is so because there is no guarantee of income from gate takings as not many people in those foreign lands would be interested in watching teams from other countries.
In these circumstances, the government should come to the rescue of these clubs because - after all — they are representing Zimbabwe as a country and the situation is not of their making.
Sports minister Kirsty Coventry indicated that her doors were open for national teams that need assistance and we can testify that some -although few- have benefitted from this government support.
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Sadly, though, there has not been anyone to take the Dynamos and Ngezi case with the government as those in the Zifa normalisation committee are occupied with something else while those in the Sport and Recreation do not know what football is all about.
In fact, the SRC only knows that there is football in Zimbabwe when demanding their share of 6% of gross from PSL matches and when in negotiation with Fifa on whom to appoint in the Zifa normalisation committee.
What is even hurting is that the SRC is taking a lot of money from football every week but does not recognise the important role the sport plays in its own existence.
So, it remains for the football people in Parliament such as Innocent Benza, Farai Jere, and Noah Mangondo to raise the voice on behalf of the two Zimbabwean clubs representing the country in these international competitions.
After all, it is not their fault that Dynamos and Ngezi are playing their matches in other countries but because the government itself has failed to renovate the National Sports Stadium (NSS) to the required international standards.
It is a fact that Dynamos and Ngezi could afford the costs of their participation had it not been for the closure of the NSS and we feel the government has an obligation to pay part of their costs.
Surely, Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum Stars have sponsors but there are times that even sponsors have limitations and need to be supplemented and for Dembare and Madamburo, that time for that supplement is now.
Our teams have not reached the mini-league stage in Pan African football for some time, and our government should help Dynamos and Ngezi restore the respect that we used to have in African club football.
It would be an embarrassment to Zimbabwean football and to the name of the country should one of them fail to host an away team due to financial constraints.
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