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Caps fire 7 players

Sport
CAPS UNITED owner Twine Phiri has risked the full wrath of expectant fans by firing the core of the team over a salary dispute ahead of the new Premier Soccer League season which starts next month.

CAPS UNITED owner Twine Phiri has risked the full wrath of expectant fans by firing the core of the team over a salary dispute ahead of the new Premier Soccer League season which starts next month.

REPORT BY HENRY MHARA

The former champions’ senior players boycotted training on Tuesday demanding their salaries and Phiri ruthlessly quashed any further dissent by getting rid of players who were allegedly at the forefront of the strike.

Caps’ new chief executive officer Joe Makuvire yesterday confirmed that they had “released” seven of their senior players from their contracts.

Headlining the list of those shown the exit is captain Tapiwa Khumbuyani, his assistant Washington Pakamisa, ageing Shingi Kawondera, Asani Nhongo, Itai Chiwara, Nqobile Mpala and Luckson Kaisa.

“We have released some of our senior players because we don’t have the resources to honour their contracts.

“The investment value in those players does not match their contribution, so we have decided to let them go,” said Makuvire.

“We want to give them an opportunity to realign their careers and look for greener pastures. We have failed to meet their expectations.”

A source within the Green Machine camp, however, said the seven had been sacrificed for leading a player protest over outstanding salaries. Some of the players sat out a training session on Tuesday demanding their wages for the past three months.

“The players received half of the November salary and they haven’t got anything for December and January. The (affected) players refused to train yesterday (Tuesday) demanding their salaries. All those who did not train were phoned early this morning not to report for training any longer. There are accused of leading the player revolt,” said the source.

Another source also revealed that coach Mkhuphali Masuku and his backroom staff were yet to renew their contracts which expired in December last year.

“They are doing ‘community service’. They are working without contracts and they have also not received their salaries for November, December and January. The players and the staff are not happy, the situation is tense,” said the source.

A NewsDay Sport crew went to the National Sports Stadium B Arena yesterday morning where Masuku was conducting a training session with predominantly a group of players on trials.

Caps United fans are expecting better things this season after the team finished a disappointing 10th on the league log standings with 39 points, a massive 30 adrift of bitter rivals and eventual winners Dynamos.

But chances of that happening have been severely diminished with the latest development, which means Masuku will have to literally start from scratch having a majority of Premiership novices in his squad.

This is not the first time that Caps United have fired players who dare raise their voice over non-payment of their dues with former captain David Sengu and Leonard Tsipa some of the victims two seasons ago.

Last year, Caps United dismissed from their dressing room Edmore Sibanda and Nyasha Mukumbi for alleged sabotage and fanning disorder at the club.