Show sports fans some respect!

OUR Premier Soccer League is quite unique, as it probably is the only elite division where a 51-year-old feels fit and sprightly enough to duel with professional footballers.

Perhaps this tells us more about the genes of the player than the quality of our top-flight, or conversely, this shows us the quality of the league more than the player’s fitness.

Either way, it makes our league unique.

Bra Shakes is reminded of David Beckham’s story.

Having been born on April 17, 1974, the English football star called it quits on May 18, 2013 as a 39-year-old, after 21 years in the game.

When he was later asked what drove him to hang up his boots, he quipped: “I probably decided to retire when Messi was running past me.”

In other words, he made the unhappy realisation that his legs could no longer carry him faster than his brain wanted.

In every athlete’s life, there comes that moment when they realise that their time is up.

It could be that moment in 2005 when Mike Tyson, who was hitherto renowned for being a beast in the ring, decided to bid farewell to the sport while sitting on his stool in a match against Kevin McBride in Washington D.C.

Probably he had also realised he could no longer pack those fearsome punches that knocked out many a pugilist, including Frank Bruno, who lost sight in one eye after being caught by one of the boxer’s famous zingers.

Sport has now evolved into a money-spinning business where only athletes in peak physical shape contest for the ultimate prize.

Just watching players battle it out in elite football leagues in Europe, particularly in the English Premier League, will show you how we are light years behind their standards.

The football matches are played at seemingly supersonic speed, while the players look as if they are indefatigable.

They will leave everything on the pitch.

Although they are paid eye-watering wages, you can see that they really deserve every single cent.

Even the level of athleticism exhibited by those scandalously tall basketballers (Victor Wembanyama easily comes to mind) is both extraordinary and amazing.

To cut a long story short, having a 50-something player in our elite league just needs to be interrogated.

Maybe FIFA, or our child parliamentarians, also need to look into the issue at CAPS United, which has proved to be inhospitable to young players of late.

Last year, Makepekepe had at least nine players aged 30 and above in their squad, with an average age of 29 years for their senior slots.

Coach Lloyd Chitembwe went on to buy Lot Chiwunga (37), Bruce Kangwa (35) and Ralph Kawondera (33).

The average age of these new signings was 35. At the time, the team also had players such as Tonderai Mateyaunga (30), Ashley Rayners (30), Godknows Murwira (30), William Manondo (32), Devon Chafa (33), Phineas Bamusi (33) and Rodwell Chinyengetere (35).

This is telling.

It just shows that we have not invested enough in junior football development, which guarantees a conveyer belt of talent into the premier league.

During his days at Dynamos, Moses Chunga showed us the sheer amount of talent in the youth when he assembled a side that had exceptionally gifted players such as Samson Choruwa and Eddie Mashiri.

ZIFA and the Premier Soccer League have to take a leading role in ensuring that football teams mandatorily have junior teams.

We have seen how a targeted and focused investment in cricket helped to unearth the golden generation of young black cricketers, such as Tatenda Taibu, who made a transformative difference in the game.

We also saw how the Sports and Recreation Commission’s “Sports For All” initiative years ago helped reveal talented athletes from communities.

We need to stop normalising the abnormal.

Show sports fans some respect.

Until next time.

Peace!

Yours Sincerely,

Bra Shakes.