AS Ali Sundowns prepares for its debut season in the Zifa Northern Region Division, owner Desmund Ali looks back on the journey the team has travelled since its formation more than two decades ago.
It has been a case of hard work, patience and perseverance for the club, which started as a way to create a pass-time for the idle youths from the Mabvuku and Tafara suburbs.
Watching the club grow to help young kids achieve their football dreams gives joy to the veteran football administrator, who described the rise of Ali Sundowns as a Cinderella story.
“The story of Ali Sundowns has been quite a beautiful story," Ali told The Sports Hub.
“We started the team by just trying to create pass-time for youngsters in Mabvuku and Tafara suburbs, and the kids grew and when they reached 18, then we said, okay, let's join Division three which was the lowest rank in football structures.
“And here we are today playing in Division One, I believe to be where we are today, we have actually gone through the mill,” he said.
So good was the team that it went on an unbeaten run in third Division that they booked a place in the then CBZ FA Cup.
Ali recalls how his team held its own against premiership giants Caps United in the FA Cup.
- Ali Sundowns' Cinderella story
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Ali, who is set to run for the Zifa board member position later this month, is eager to have his input in the future of Zimbabwe football by laying similar structures within the local football.
“We qualified to play in the CBZ FA Cup first round and we were pitted against my favourite team Caps United at Gwanzura; it was a very strong side, but we matched them and we went to the break tied nil all but we eventually lost the match two nil.
“After that we realised that the project had good prospects and this gave us power to continue with the project,” said Ali.
The success story of Ali Sundowns created a hype in the eastern suburbs leading to the formation of more football clubs in the community.
Having been involved in football administration, Ali is set to run for office in the upcoming Zifa elections where he is seeking office as a board member.
Ali, who has been influential in securing sponsorship for football clubs and the premiership, believes he has got potential to unlock the value of football in the country.
“In respect of my aspirations to be a Zifa board member, I believe I've served football for a long time. I'm qualified, I'm experienced in a number of things.
“I'm experienced in finance, I'm experienced in football development through the structures that I've built at Ali Sundowns, I'm experienced in marketing and I'm a marketer as well,” he said.
Ali believes he has the capacity to lure sponsors to the local game at the highest level having done so in the past locally and regionally.
“Sponsorship is a mutually beneficial relationship, with massive value. What are we offering?
“We need to move away from the thinking that we are just selling a football match. We need to sell them an experience that is beyond the 90 minutes at the stadium and that's why I want come in,” said Ali.
