FC Platinum not panicking

19 Nov, 2020 - 15:11 0 Views
FC Platinum not panicking Football.

The Sunday Mail

Langton Nyakwenda

ZIMBABWE champions FC Platinum are not pressing the panic button and believe they have sufficient “options” following CAF’s decision to bar coach Hendrikus Pieter De Jongh from sitting on the bench when Pure Platinum Play begin their Champions League campaign next weekend.
De Jongh, whose UEFA A Licence does not match the CAF A Licence demanded by the confederation, will not be on the bench when FC Platinum travel to Mozambique for a preliminary clash against Costa Do Sol next weekend.
FC Platinum assistant coach Patrick Mandizha is also not a holder of a CAF A Licence, leaving goalkeepers’ coach Tembo Chuma, who has the qualification, as the only member of the technical team allowed to sit on the bench.
However, the Zimbabwean football kings are not pressing the panic button and have, through a statement released late Wednesday, reaffirmed their confidence ahead of the match against Costa do Sol.
“The FC Platinum Board and Executive Management have met over the decision by CAF not to give a special dispensation to coach Hendrikus Pieter De Jongh to sit on the team’s bench during the Champions League match as he does not have a CAF A licence.
“While we are concerned about the potential effects of this move in the short term, we are confident that our club has options to ensure the upcoming matches in the preliminary round against Costa do Sol of Mozambique will go on with minimal disruption,” read a statement from club president Fabian Mashingaidze.
“To ensure our long-term competitiveness, we are assessing a number of options to enable the team’s capacity to perform at domestic and CAF competition.
“We are happy to report that morale in the camp is high and the players are well aware of the need to produce a good result in Mozambique ahead of the return fixture to ensure progression to the next round.”
The Dutchman cannot sit on the FC Platinum bench because he does not have the requisite qualifications, which match the CAF A coaching licence demanded by the association.
ZIFA technical director, Wilson Mutekede, has reiterated that foreign coaches will have to pass certain requirements before they can be engaged by local football clubs.
This, according to Mutekede, is meant to ensure that they avoid the challenges which FC Platinum now face.
FC Platinum have won the league title for the past three seasons and have reached the group stage of the CAF Champions League twice.

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