Give out of contract players clearances early: FUZ

It has become a norm for local clubs to release players           on the eve of the closure of the transfer window.         Frustrated, with nowhere to go, some players have          resorted to the once all familiar trek to Johannesburg,           South Africa, for menial jobs or park football so                    littered with betting by big sharks from Yeoville, Berea and Hillbrow.
Most clubs are yet to finalise their squads for the 2012 season.
The secretary-general of FUZ, Paul Gundani, confirmed yesterday that his organisation was against clubs keeping players that they did not intend using for much longer. He said they had since written to Zifa about the issue as they were worried about the welfare of those players and that of their families.
“Our position is clear, we wrote a letter to Zifa asking if they could communicate with clubs instructing them to give clearances to out of contract players early. We also want them not to take too long in deciding in who will be there for the new season.
“There has been a tendency where trialists and some fringe players are kept up to the last day of the window and then told to look for new clubs.
“This is grossly unfair, the welfare of these players            must be thought of as well, where do they go to this late,” said the former Young Warriors and Warriors defence stalwart.
Gundani said he had already posted something in the Central Soccer League Facebook page.
Players leave clubs at the expiry of their contracts and the second reason was by mutual consent which also demands that teams act in good faith and give the boys good time to source for jobs.
“It’s illegal to offload a contracted player and fail to compensate him adequately, he has to be paid for the outstanding duration,” said Gundani.
Meanwhile, FC Platinum secretary Philimon Muvengwa wants the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League to review its position on the number of juniors a club must register with the league.
Two years ago Premier Soccer League clubs met in  Harare and recommended that a club ought to register 25 senior players and five who are below the age of 20. This             was being done to promote the development of junior          talent among the clubs, some of which did not have junior policies.
Despite the introduction of that policy, the number of players trickling in from the junior development continued to be below expectations.
“Consideration should be made for us to debate this issue thoroughly, we are not in favour of a cosmetic approach to development,” said Muvengwa.
Seeing the local development initiatives not bearing any fruit, clubs decided to go that route, probably an admission that the junior league has lost its vibrancy.