DeMbare reward players

decided that they extend a hand of appreciation for the season’s achievement.
Club treasurer Webster Chike-ngezha yesterday said the players and the executive will meet later this week to discuss the figures and how the money is to be paid, to ease tension between the two parties over the issue.
“The team did well in the just-ended season and the executive has met and decided that we need to thank our players for their fighting spirit,” said Chikengezha.
“It’s something that the executive has been reasonable enough to realise after the season’s achievements. We could have done this already but we must not forget that there are other things that need to be looked at.
“Usually we do not want to ruin our finances by discussing such matters in the press but at this point we haven’t agreed on the figure to be paid yet.
“So we will sit down with them and discuss how much and at what point they are going to get this money because it does not make sense for them to read about it in the newspapers when we have not talked about it with them.”
DeMbare players had demanded that their efforts needed to be recognised in the form of bonuses for winning the league and cup double, with the executive insisting that the players were not entitled to the bonuses and arguing that they wanted to pay off creditors first.
The players’ demands were coming from the background of the season’s league and cup double success in which DeMbare walked away US$70 000 richer for winning the Castle Lager Premiership title and then bagged another big cheque of US$75 000 for lifting the inaugural Mbada Diamonds Cup.
While players got their share from the proceeds of the Mbada Diamonds Cup they also felt that they deserved more for winning the championship.
But Chikengezha insisted yesterday that the players were not entitled to demand bonuses for winning the championship and said the executive had only agreed to extend a gesture of appreciation to “thank the players for their fighting spirit.”
“The club has many creditors and it has been the chairman’s position that we pay off the debts first.
“And I cannot say what we are going to give the players is a bonus. It’s just an appreciation and we maintain our stance that players cannot stand up to demand bonuses for winning the title,” said Chikengezha.
He said that the club is reeling in debts and revealed that chairman Kenny Mubaiwa has not been paid a cent from what he is owed by Dynamos, dating back to the era of Farai Munetsi.
“The truth of the matter is that I haven’t been paid even a cent from what the club owes. When we talk of Dynamos creditors I am actually one of them and some of the debts date back to the era when Farai Munetsi was still the chairman. I cannot demand the money now when the coffers are not in good health. Instead we pay the external creditors first and then see what happens afterwards, ” Mubaiwa said.
Mubaiwa also said they will flight the advertisement for the coach’s job in the newspapers tomorrow and have set Friday as the deadline for applications.
Dynamos severed ties with championship winning coach Calisto Pasuwa last week after negotiations to renew his contract fell through.
“Time is not on our side and we need to move as fast as possible. We must have the interviews by the weekend and hopefully next week we will have a coach in place to start preparations for the new season,” said Mubaiwa.