HARARE, Zimbabwe — FC Platinum head coach Thabo Senong has encouraged South African footballers to broaden their horizons and consider opportunities in Zimba...
HARARE, Zimbabwe — FC Platinum head coach Thabo Senong has encouraged South African footballers to broaden their horizons and consider opportunities in Zimbabwe’s Premier Soccer League (PSL), arguing that the local top-flight competition is rapidly improving as a destination for players from across the continent.
The South African tactician is enjoying an impressive start to his tenure at FC Platinum, where he is working alongside former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana midfield star Reneilwe Letsholonyane.
Although Senong and Letsholonyane had to wait for their official duties to begin because of paperwork, the pair have made an immediate impact since taking charge.
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FC Platinum began their competitive campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Agama FC before recording a 2-0 win against Blackrock FC in the Round of 16 of the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.
The perfect start has given Senong an early platform from which to assess the Zimbabwean football landscape, and the former Bafana Bafana assistant coach believes the PSL is developing into an increasingly attractive league.
Senong praises Zimbabwean football
Speaking to FARPost, Senong said the Zimbabwean PSL was becoming a stronger and more competitive football product.
“For sure, the league is becoming a very good and interesting product,” Senong said.
The coach highlighted player welfare as one of the most important factors that could help Zimbabwe attract more footballers from other African countries.
“If you look at how clubs are taking care of players, that tells you a lot because the game belongs to the players,” he said.
Senong believes improved standards at club level can help change perceptions about playing football in Zimbabwe and encourage more foreign players to consider moves to the country.
“If we, as the leadership, as football administrators and the technical teams, take care of players, then it will attract players from everywhere,” he said.
Zimbabwe attracting foreign players
The FC Platinum coach also pointed to the growing presence of foreign players as evidence that Zimbabwe’s league is becoming more appealing.
“You look at the West Africans that are already coming in, the neighbouring countries around Zimbabwe, Malawi, and you have Eswatini players here as well,” Senong said.
Zimbabwe’s geographical proximity to South Africa also makes the PSL a potentially attractive option for players seeking opportunities outside the country’s highly competitive domestic football environment.
‘If you get a chance to come to Zimbabwe, take it’
Senong’s strongest message was directed at South African players who may be reluctant to explore opportunities outside their home country.
The coach urged players to consider the Zimbabwean PSL if opportunities arise rather than viewing a move across the Limpopo as a step backwards.
“I would urge players to open themselves up to opportunities outside the borders. If you get a chance to come to Zimbabwe, take it.”
He argued that the perception that footballers are poorly treated in Zimbabwe is changing as clubs place greater emphasis on player welfare.
“The narrative that players are not taken care of here is changing. Clubs are now looking after players properly and the league is becoming a very good product,” he said.
Senong’s comments come as Zimbabwean football continues to attract players and coaches from outside the country, while clubs seek to improve their competitiveness both domestically and on the continental stage.
For South African players struggling for regular game time or looking for a new challenge, Senong believes Zimbabwe’s PSL could provide a viable route to further their careers.
