For the sixth time in a row the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League trophy is not going to Harare or Bulawayo but to another small town and this time to Shamva from Mhondoro-Ngezi where it was in 2023.
Before that, the silverware spent four years in a row in Zvishavane in the cabinet of FC Platinum who won it three times with Norman Mapeza and once with Lizwe Sweswe.
This PSL accolade has now become a dream for the likes of Caps United, Dynamos, and Highlanders, who at one time regarded it as their own property to share.
The last time any of the three teams tested the sweetness of premiership victory was way back in 2016 when Caps United won the title under the guidance of Lloyd Chitembwe.
Since then it has been dreams and dreams with Dynamos previously winning the title in 2014 under Kalisto Pasuwa and Highlanders' drought stretching way back to 2006 when they last celebrated with Methembe Ndlovu in the driving seat
Worse still is the fact that this season, the three failed to finish in the top four with Highlanders finishing sixth with 48 points, Dynamos eighth with 46 points and Caps United ninth with 45 points.
Keep Reading
- Inside Sport: Local stadiums in urgent need of attention
- Bullets ease relegation fears
- FC Platinum move six points clear
- Clinical Herentals leapfrog Ngezi to sixth
Football writer Admire Muhimeke warns the three Musketeers that there could be worse times if they do not move with the changing football trends.
"This is probably the worst season for the three teams combined. Worse things could follow if they do not completely change the way they are handling their players, and their business," warned Muhimeke.
Their players at one time or another in 2024 went on strike over non-payment of either sign-on fees, salaries or bonuses, raising questions as to where the money is going to as Bosso and Dembare have a sponsor in the form of Sakunda Holdings on top of sound gate takings.
However, as the drastic flip flop continues, all sorts of theories are being drummed up as to what exactly has gone wrong at Dembare and Bosso ?
The agreement, though, is unanimous in the conclusion that as long as Dynamos and Highlanders continue living in the old stone age they will continue going down the drain.
Dembare and Bosso continue believing that football talent will continue flocking to them because they are Dynamos and Highlanders forgeting that football has changed and money rules.
They forget that times have changed and players do not survive on name but on sign on fees and good salaries and bonuses which should be paid in time.
In all this, they also sadly continue lying to themselves that football fans will continue flocking to Rufaro and Barbourfields Stadium to watch them play even when they do not have talent and are lacking in results and entertainment.
Although the crowds are getting smaller and smaller at their stadiums, they do not seriously see the real reason for this ignorantly contending that this is just a passing phase and the crowds will come back.
What they also do not see is that while their crowd attendances are diminishing, the attendances - at other clubs - are steadily rising because football fans go where there is entertainment.
In fact, the future of the traditional giants is facing serious threat as we move into 2025 unless something happens to rescue them from the emerging teams which are better organised and have stable pockets.
There are some - for some reason -who believe that Dynamos and Highlanders will continue ruling Zimbabwean football but the real testing time has arrived.
Most teams are losing their star players to cash-rich and newly promoted Scottland and those teams will have nowhere else to go but to raid Caps United, Dynamos, and Highlanders for replacements.
The result would be massive departures as no player would want to play for a team where his sign-on-fees, salary or winning bonus is not guaranteed.
Surely, for Caps United, Dynamos, and Highlanders, the time of living in the past is long gone and now is the time to live in the present and learn that the name Dynamos or Highlanders no longer has that power of attraction.
At the rate things are going, it will not be easy for the traditional giants to impose their dominance again - There are now NEW RULERS in Zimbabwean football.
- For your views, comments, and suggestions, mkariati@gmail.com or WhatsApp on 071 0774 596.