Why FC Platinum will be relieved to have the Covid-19 break

The Covid-19 break has seen Zimbabwe’s top flight league suspended until at least the middle of May.

While that doesn’t make headlines across the world, for lovers of local football this has massive significance, even though the attendances have not been peak, save for Highlanders when they play at Barbourfields Stadium.

There is one team though that will be relieved for this break and that is three-times-in-a-row champions FC Platinum.

They have been playing football round the year with very few breaks over the last three years. This is after the CAF African Champions League was moved to the August-May calendar as the continent sought to align itself with the European leagues. Zimbabwe still runs its league from March to November which means that when the local league is offline, FC Platinum still have continental commitments.

This also probably had an effect on how bad it worked out for their performances in the continental escapades and with a squad that was getting smaller due to players being sold off, it was getting harder. This is said to be one of the reasons Norman Mapeza quit the job.

A little break at the same time does give teams like Highlanders and co a chance to get ready for a challenge. The FC Platinum wins may have been a juggernaut and getting that culture back again after a break might be an ask.

Cost benefit analysis will put the clever money on the rest. Bodies aren’t machines.