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Centre, North bid bye
By
Leonard Sharra - 30-05-2002 |
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Central Region soccer fanatics and officials have expressed concern at the exit of all teams from the region from the K7million Carlsberg Cup competition, now getting closer to its climax.
But the sponsors have expressed no regrets, saying the best team is the one that wins in every competition.
Deputy Central Region Sports Development Officer Georgina Msowoya said on Tuesday that she was sad with the development which, in her view, showed that the region was lagging behind in the development of football as compared to the South.
“I did not know that all our teams are out but I’m sad to learn about it. As a region, we need to find a way of improving our football. We really need to sit down as a region. Our coaches should be able to assist each other despite belonging to different clubs,” said Msowoya.
Former Silver Strikers vice treasurer Martin Kachikwati said the exit of all the region’s heavyweights would result in another soccer drought.
“We are likely to have a soccer drought like the one we had in February when Super League games were only being played in the South. We may only watch the three home games that Silver is going to fulfil in the BP Top 8 competition. This is a big setback to the region as our players will remain idle, hence engaging in bad habits,” said Kachikwati.
Manfred Kawaye, chairman of the National Referees Subcommittee and Central Region Referees Committee, presented two different views.
“As Manfred Kawaye, I view it as a sad development not because referees here will not officiate more games but it shows football in the region is dying. In the 80s, teams like Silver and Civo were able to sweep trophies,” he said.
“But as a match official, I am not concerned. This is what happens in football and next time it will be the turn of Central Region teams.”
But the region’s Fam executive official George Kaudza Masina did not back his territory, when he simply said: “The fittest have survived.”
Gift Mandowa from the Northern Region, where remaining candidates Moyale are also out, said he was not worried with the development.
“It’s just a lesson for Central and Northern Region teams that they should pull up their socks. Most of the teams like Moyale, Civo and Dwasco have been beaten playing at their own backyard and this shows Southern Region teams were more prepared,” said Mandowa.
Presenting the sponsors’ views on the development, Carlsberg’s Marketing Services Manager Elias Iman said the sponsors were not affected.
“As sponsors, we don’t take any side. When we sponsor a competition, we do it in the spirit of developing the game. That is done through the competition of the teams and, in this case, the best team will win the competition,” said Iman.
Three Central Region Super League teams — Silver Strikers, Dwasco and Civo— and Moyale from the North were kicked out of the Carlsberg competition over the weekend. Dwasco lost 0-2 to MTL Wanderers with Silver going down 2-1 to Red Lions. Moyale and Civo were dismissed with 1-0 margins in the third round and quarterfinals, respectively by visiting Big Bullets. |
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