CAPS UNITED say they are calm despite reported squabbles in their camp, with the club’s chief executive officer Joe Makuvire insisting that their problems were not anything peculiar.
HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
The Harare club is reportedly in a financial mess and this has triggered a massive exodus of key personnel in the last few weeks since the season ended.
Coach Taurai Mangwiro has left for Harare City and dragged with him his entire backroom staff.
Midfielder Tendai Samanja, a vital cog in the Green Machine’s contrivance last season and was voted among the league’s best 11 players in the campaign, has followed his coach to Harare City, while goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube has also reportedly joined the Sunshine Boys.
Attacking midfielder Kelvin Bulaji has moved to city rivals Dynamos and another senior player Hardlife Zvirekwi is also reportedly on the brink of a switch to the league champions.
Dynamos also claim that they have secured from Caps United the signature of striker Dominic Chungwa.
Captain Tapiwa Kumbuyani’s contract expired last night and reports suggest that the defender is fed up with life at the club and seeking a move.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The future of defender Steven Makatuka is largely uncertain. Another key player, Ronald Pfumbidzai, was very vocal about the team’s financial problems last season and on numerous occasions led the other players in protests.
There are very good chances that the former Hippo Valley star and Young Warriors captain would not be playing at United next season. Two months after Mangwiro tendered his resignation and with some few weeks before preparations for the new season begins, the club is yet to appoint a new coach — all pointing to a gloomy future.
However, despite a myriad of problems, Makuvire still wears a brave face, saying all is under control and insists his club will come out of all the problems unscathed and even stronger.
“We are very calm,” Makuvire said.
“The problems we are facing are not something peculiar only to us. I believe the problem of money is a universal one and when you hear that Harare City Council workers are going on strike, then you know what im talking about. I know there are other teams and companies that are in a far worse situation than us out there. We have managed to clear the backlog of our players’ salaries. To be honest, I don’t see anything newsworthy about us struggling financially. We are looking for resources to sustain the team next season,” Makuvire added. Makuvire said they were currently finalising on the new coach who should be unveiled to the media anytime this week. While Makuvire refused to give out the name, sources yesterday revealed that the man who would be in charge at the club next season was Lloyd Mutasa. “We are working on that and I can safely say that we have a coach who will be unveiled after the New Year holiday. I’m currently in a meeting with the new technical team as I’m talking to you right now and the club President (Twine Phiri) will unveil the team very soon. Preparations for the new season will immediately begin.” He confirmed that Samanja, Bulaji and Dube had since left the club, but poured cold water on Dynamos’ claims that they had signed Chungwa. “Those other guys had their contracts expired and we didn’t renew, so they are free to join other clubs. Kumbuyani’s contract has also expired, but we are retaining him. We are retaining all our players who still have running contracts and that includes Chungwa. He still has a year on his contract, so I don’t know how Dynamos managed to sign a player with a running contract. As far as we are concerned, he is still our player and we have a contract to prove that.” Reports, however, suggest that a number of players who still have running contracts with the club have engaged the Footballers’ Union of Zimbabwe in a desperate bid to move away.
