The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda recently in NYANGA
IN an era where corporate-owned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs are thriving while individually-owned sides continue to sing the financial blues, one would naturally doubt the staying power of newly promoted side Dongo Sawmills.
Owned by Nyanga businessman Francis Dongo, the débutantes are bracing for a swim in local football’s biggest pond against a backdrop of rising costs associated with running a top-flight team.
Dongo will kick start their maiden season with a tough away fixture to rejuvenated FC Platinum before they host How Mine on Match-day Two.
The 2015 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League was set to kick off next weekend, but the Premier Soccer League has deferred the programme by a week to accommodate the Bob 91 finals set for Rufaro next Sunday.
This has given Dongo Sawmills, who are engaged in an ambitious and yet unpredictable project of bringing top-flight soccer to the small town of Rusape for the first time, some breathing space.
The big question, though, is on Dongo Sawmills’ ability to stay afloat in the deep waters of the Premiership where previous similar projects have faltered dismally.
In a league where yearly expenses, which can surpass $400 000 per club, and far outweigh income even if the club wins all the trophies on offer, there are genuine concerns that Dong Sawmills might soon find themselves in the deep end.
However, Dongo sounds like someone who has done his homework.
With a $60 000 backing from Rusape Town Council, meant to uplift the 10 000 capacity Vengere Stadium already certain and financial injection from his sawmill company guaranteed, the youthful Dongo is looking to the future with confidence.
“With the support we are getting from Rusape Town Council, I can confidently say everything is in order. The league chairman Twine Phiri was here two weeks ago and was impressed with what he saw.
“Among the recommendations we got from the PSL was that we work on the changing rooms, media box, toilets and turnstiles. Work is almost done on those areas,” he said.
A lot of people have associated Dongo Sawmills, who gained promotion as Buffalo Junior, with fellow Manicaland-based PSL side Buffaloes.
At one time the Rusape-based side risked a ban from the top flight due to their unclear ownership structure and links to the army side.
There were also reports that the club’s franchise was up for grabs and a number of club owners were heavily linked with a move for Dongo Sawmills.
Dongo, a former vice chair at Buffaloes, however, explained the current ownership structure of the club.
“I am the sole owner of the club. Yes, there have been misconceptions over the ownership of the club given that I was also vice chair at Buffaloes, whom we also provided with a number of players.
“We have a good relationship with the army, the formation of this club was linked to the army, but Dongo Sawmills is an independent club,” he said.
Founded as a social outfit in Nyanga around 2011, mainly from reject players dumped by Buffaloes with a purpose to entertain the disabled at the Zimbabwe National Army, Dongo registered with the Division 2 League in 2013.
They won promotion into the Eastern Region Division One League in only their first year after losing only once the entire season.
And last year, the unheralded but one of Manicaland’s most revered coaches, Shadreck “Father” Mugurasawe, did the unthinkable.
Mugurasawe has been given thumbs up by the team’s executive and the soft-spoken gaffer revealed his dislike “for recycling Premiership veterans.”
“I do not believe in recycling players; my oldest player is striker Evans Chikwaikwai (29) and the average age is 25. The players are motivated by the mere fact that they are playing in the PSL for the first time. From the past three official friendly games we have played against Mushowani Stars, Caps United and Flame Lily, I can say we are heading in the right direction.
“Our target this year is just to survive relegation. If we do well in the other cup competitions, then that will be a bonus,” said Mugurasawe, a holder of a CAF C License and the coach who won Premiership promotion with Buffaloes at the end of 2011.
