Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo, [email protected]
CAPS United have turned to veteran Warriors goalkeeper Washington Arubi in a bold attempt to rescue their fading Premiership title challenge after publicly admitting their goalkeeping crisis had become too costly to ignore.
Arubi signed a two-year contract with the Green Machine yesterday, arriving as the replacement for Wallace Magalane, who has been sidelined following a string of costly errors that have coincided with CAPS United slipping from the top of the table to nine points behind leaders Scottland.
The veteran shot-stopper, who spent 13 years in South Africa’s top-flight after leaving Zimbabwe in 2013, is expected to bring stability and experience to a department that has threatened to derail the club’s championship ambitions.
CAPS United president Farai Jere revealed the move had been in the pipeline for months.
“This move for Arubi was a long time coming. We literally sealed it before the AFCON finals in Morocco,” said Jere.
“He was waiting for us to make the move because I had messages from him when he texted that he wanted to come back home from South Africa and be at CAPS United.
“When his agent realised that we had side-lined Magalane, they called me and we arranged for him to fly in today for the signing. Here he is.
“I am happy to confirm that Arubi is now a CAPS United player after signing a two-year deal with us.
“We are here to win the championship and Arubi’s coming is a bold move by the CAPS United leadership to bring smiles to the millions of CAPS United fans out there.”
Jere said Magalane’s latest mistake in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Triangle was not what ultimately cost him his place.
Instead, he said, the goalkeeper’s refusal to return for the second half proved decisive.
“We will continue giving Magalane his salaries but what he did on Sunday was unacceptable.
“After making that error, he then refused to come back from the break even when the coach (Takesure Chiragwi) and the players convinced him to do so. The coach ended up taking an injured player (Stephen Kwaku) because Magalane had refused.
“It raises the emotions. You know, you’re playing with someone’s passion.”
Jere also dismissed suggestions CAPS United were failing to pay players, revealing the club spends about US$100 000 every month on salaries.
“Football is my passion. If you ask me how much I’ve put into this team over the years, it actually runs into millions of dollars.
“CAPS United’s salary bill is US$100 000.
“If anyone is telling you stories that the boys are not being paid and have never missed a month, they are wrong.
“Those boys are getting paid every month.
“I’m paying for this because I want to be happy. I want the CAPS United family to be happy.
“I don’t need to go there knowing that once we score, a few minutes later, within 10 minutes, we are going to concede a goal. No, no, no. That’s not what I’m paying for.”
For Arubi, the move completes a remarkable journey through Zimbabwean football.
The 39-year-old is set to become the first goalkeeper to play for all of the country’s traditional big three, Highlanders, Dynamos and CAPS United.
Arubi featured for Highlanders and Dynamos before crossing the Limpopo in 2013, having won the Soccer Star of the Year award with the Glamour Boys in 2011.
“It’s really a good feeling and I am ready for the job at hand,” said Arubi.
“I am happy to be joining CAPS United and it’s a fulfilment of a dream. We talked about it with the president Farai Jere sometime ago and today I am happy.”
Meanwhile, CAPS United’s title hopes suffered another setback after Sunday’s draw with Triangle while Scottland and Hardrock both won to open a nine-point gap at the top.
Coach Takesure Chiragwi insists the race is not over.
“I think there is still a lot of football to be played. We are down but not out.
“We will continue fighting for the badge and see where we will be at the end of the marathon. The coming in of Arubi will help us address one of our huge problems and there is also another goalkeeper from Botswana who is coming.”
