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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
CAPS UNITED president Farai Jere says US$40 000 is needed to run the Castle Lager Premiership football club every month and he is willing to dispose of the Green Machine for free to anyone with the capacity to sustain the Harare giants.
Makepekepe have deteriorated in the face of a damaging series of industrial action since 2019, with the club struggling to get results on the field of play.
With 17 games into the season, the Harare giants have managed only 17 points, one above the team occupying the last relegation slot.
And there have been murmurs of discontent over the manner in which Jere and his partner Nhamo Tutisani are running the club.
CAPS United fans have been unequivocal calling out the duo to sell the club amid reports several individuals and entities are interested in the team.
And Jere, who was highly charged, told the media yesterday he had been approached and no one has bothered to come back to him once he explains they would need at least US$40 000 every month to be able to sustain the club.
“That’s stupidity, people will just be talking to impress the public. They would be saying we have money but he (Jere) doesn’t want to sell (CAPS United).
“But the moment they come to my office, I give them everything, the breakdown, you need US$40 000 per month to run CAPS United, they never come back,” said Jere.
“We are not talking of someone who has just got some money, we are talking of consistency, for how many years would they be able to run this team, not someone who has got money now. Do you understand? (We are talking of) sustainability.
“We look into the future, are you able to sustain this? I am very proud of having run CAPS United over the last 18 years, since 2004, this is 2022, the consistency, who has got it, they should come forward. “We will give them the team, no problem, not a problem at all, not just talking, pub talk, that we have approached them and they refused the sponsorship, that’s pub-talk.
“Understand the issue of pub-talk, people talking while drinking beer, showing off that I have the money, let them come and we sit on the table, I can even give them the team without paying the money, I am telling you this on record.”
Jere said he loves the Green Machine so much and he would only dispose of the club on condition that the potential suitors demonstrate their potential to run the team for at least a year.
“You take the team but I want to see if you have got the money to sustain this team even for 12 months, just for 12 months and no one has ever come back, I am telling you from an authority point of view.
“I am just seeing these reports coming up but people should come, they should have the money, I love CAPS United and I will do due diligence of making sure that whoever wants to take over CAPS United has the capacity to sustain the team.
“I need to know that you can run the team at least for the next 12 months. I have been running this team and I will tell you the highlights which shows you that I love this team. “As the CAPS United president, you understand, I took this team to the group stages of the CAF Champions League for the first time (in 2017).
“At one point, in the preliminary stages, we left this country at 11am, went to the DR Congo to play TP Mazembe and we returned soon after the match, that’s money, not pub-talk.
“I am challenging whoever has the money to come and see me and I want you (as the media) to come with them.
“I love this team so much and I don’t want to give it to someone who we can say has got a windfall, someone who has made money this month, I have been running this team for 18 years.
“I have entertained those who have approached me and the moment I tell them the monthly bill they need to sustain CAPS United, they don’t come back, this is on record.
“I cannot talk of how many people have approached me but I can tell you I have been approached and what I said is exactly what has happened.
“Everyone who has come to me asking how much is needed to run CAPS United per month, I have told them, you need US$30 000 and they haven’t come back but I can tell you we actually need US$40 000 to run the team per month.”
Online Reporter