adminJOHANNESBURG. — Chippa United chief operations officer, Lukhanyo Mzinzi, has said that they have entered into a payment arrangement with Zimbabwean football champions FC Platinum.
It relates to the outstanding transfer fees for twin brothers Kevin and Elvis Moyo.
FC Platinum were considering dragging Chippa United to global ruling body FIFA for their failure to keep up with payments regarding the two defenders‚ who moved to Port Elizabeth on two-year contracts that had one-year add-ons in July last year.
“We sorted the matter between us and FC Platinum last week and there is no issue.
‘‘They (FC Platinum) wrote to FIFA on this matter but we have given assurances to them (FIFA) that we will keep up with payments as per agreements and this matter has been dealt with‚” Mzinzi told SowetanLIVE yesterday.
Asked for the reasons Chippa have failed to keep up with payments‚ Mzinzi said that this was because in South Africa the economy is fragile.
“You know my brother that the economy is fragile at the moment but we have an arrangement with FC Platinum and we are on the same page with them‚” he said‚ declining to say how much is owed to the Zimbabweans.
The Herald newspaper in Zimbabwe recently quoted FC Platinum media officer, Chido Chizondo, confirming that the club were still owed money by Chippa for the twin brothers.
“I know that there is non-payment for the players and they [Chippa] have committed to dates‚ so we will wait‚” Chizondo recently told The Herald.
Chizondo‚ though‚ denied reports that FC Platinum had approached FIFA on the matter.
Chippa will hope this matter does not distract the two players‚ who are involved in a battle to avoid relegation as the Port Elizabeth club sit precariously in the bottom half of the Absa Premiership with seven matches remaining in their season.
Their fight for survival continues tonight as new coach Rulani Mokwena takes charge of his first game when Chippa meet Bidvest Wits at Bidvest Stadium (kickoff 8.15pm) where the Chilli Boys will aim for nothing but the three points on offer.
Kevin Moyo has played 23 league matches for Chippa in 2019-20‚ and Elvis Moyo seven games.
Meanwhile, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has welcomed the return of Rulani Mokwena to a head coaching seat in the Absa Premiership.
Mokwena‚ who has been idle since he was replaced by Josef Zinnbauer at Orlando Pirates in December‚ took over as Chippa United coach this week after Zimbabwean coach Norman Mapeza’s resignation on Monday night.
The new man now faces the daunting task of saving the Port Elizabeth side from relegation.
Mosimane mentored Mokwena at Sundowns before the later moved to Pirates.
“I think it is good for Rulani to get back into football‚” said Mosimane.
“It’s important because he is a young coach and carries the hopes of many other young coaches out there who have a wish and vision to be part of Absa Premiership at an early age.
“It’s always good to have him‚ you know that I am always patriotic about local coaches. I am always happy when local coaches are put in there‚ even though I am good with Norman Mapeza.
“I like Norman because I have known him for a long time and he is a good coach. He has been in the Uefa Champions League for all these years but it’s good for Rhulani and I am happy that he is back.”
Mosimane said the fact that Mokwena has been out of competitive coaching for a few months will not work against him in Port Elizabeth.
“Some coaches stay two years without being in the job and they do it‚“ he said.
“My advice to him is to focus on stabilising the team because I know that he’s got energy and imagination to show that he can do things.
“They have 25 points if I am not mistaken and you need 30 to survive.
“If they get about seven points they’ll be sorted.
“I don’t know if Chippa Mpengesi is happy to just survive relegation or he wants a top eight place‚ but I think Rulani will get the six to seven points that is needed to survive.
“He has the ability to do things.
“Maybe he will get the seven points to be the coach next year and they can put his philosophy in place because what can you put in two days.
“It reminds me when I had 10 games here at Sundowns when I first started and we didn’t even make top eight.
“On the stuff that he has been seconded and all that‚ it’s not for me to comment.
“I am just happy that he is back and I believe that Chippa is a good team.”
Mosimane said Mokwena learned valuable lessons while he was in charge of Pirates.
“You can only say he walked before he could crawl after what happened‚“ he said.
“You can’t just say if you go there you won’t make it.
“There are coaches who go straight from the youth into the first team and do well. There is no perfect environment in football‚ where is the perfect environment.” — SowetanLive
Online Reporter