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A WRANGLE between Chicken Inn and Bantu Rovers could have cost reigning Castle Lager Premiership Rookie of the Year Kudakwashe Mahachi a lifetime opportunity to go for trials at a top South African club. According to sources close to both clubs, the talented left-footed midfielder who is on loan at Chicken Inn from Bantu Rovers was supposed to have left last Thursday for trials at Supersport United.
He missed the flight to Johannesburg as he was in the Chicken Inn squad that lost 0-2 to Shabanie Mine in the BancABC Sup8r quarter-final match on Friday.
Bantu Rovers facilitated the player’s trial.
“It seems there are some issues between the two clubs because this is not the first time that Mahachi has failed to travel for trials organised by Bantu Rovers. At the beginning of the year he turned down an offer to go Belgium and now he could not travel to South Africa because Chicken Inn did not clear him. Bantu Rovers wrote a fortnight ago informing Chicken Inn that they have secured a trial stint for the player but they never got a reply,” said the source.
Supersport United is home to former Caps United and Dynamos striker Simba Sithole who at one time played with Mahachi in the national Under-20 squad.
Former Warriors and Dynamos defender Kaitano Tembo is the assistant coach at the club.
Mahachi confirmed in an interview yesterday that he was supposed to go for trials in South Africa.
“It is true that I have been invited for trials at Supersport United but I do not have the finer details. From what I was told by the club (Chicken Inn), I was scheduled to go for trials after playing the BancABC Sup8r game against Shabanie Mine and I am still waiting for the feedback from the club. I think for more details you can talk to Topee (Tawengwa Hara) or my manager Mlungisi Moyo,” said Mahachi.
Contacted for comment, Moyo said he was scheduled to meet Bantu Rovers’ officials late last night to iron out some outstanding contractual matters.
“I manage Mahachi’s business affairs and there are some grey areas in his contract which have to be addressed before he goes. I am meeting Bantu Rovers later tonight to find out about the Supersport United trials because everything should be done to safeguard the player’s interests. The boy has to know at least the possible salary he stands to get in South Africa because it does not make sense for him to go to South Africa for a R10 000 salary instead of staying home for a $700 to $800 salary.
“There are other issues in his running contract which needs to be looked at and after that we can advise the club on the developments. I think we are going to reach an agreement with Bantu Rovers,” Moyo said.
Mahachi is said to have extended his contract with Bantu Rovers by a year before rejoining Chicken Inn for the 2013 season. It is believed that the player’s contract with Bantu Rovers runs through 2015.
Chicken Inn’s secretary Hara professed ignorance about Mahachi’s trial stint in South Africa.
“As Chicken Inn we have never received any official communication from clubs in Zimbabwe and outside seeking services of any of our contracted players, Mahachi included. If ever there are teams that want to have a look at any of our contracted players they must write to us first and we will respond accordingly. We don’t stand in players’ way if they intend to seek greener pastures.
“As for the player you are mentioning, he is on loan from Bantu Rovers, he gets a salary from us and since he has a contract with us, any communication must come through us and we will in turn inform Bantu Rovers about any interests because of the agreement we have with them,” Hara, a lawyer by profession said.
Bantu Rovers’ Wilbert Sibanda could neither confirm nor deny that they had organised trials for Mahachi and referred questions to the player’s manager.
“As Bantu Rovers we believe that we have a responsibility to create opportunities for players and it is up to them what they do with those chances. Mahachi and some of our players loaned out are also included in our plans.
“As for trials he is or was supposed to go I think you should talk to Mahachi or his manager because we believe they have an ultimate say about the player’s career moves and what to decide,” said Sibanda.
Online Reporter