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Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter—-
AFTER being away for over a month with the national team, Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa returned to club duties yesterday, but it was not all rosy as an ownership dispute between DeMbare and Monomotapa is threatening to scupper the availability of midfielder Russell Madamombe for Sunday’s match.
Pasuwa had been busy with the Warriors’ African Nation Championships duties since December last year, leaving his assistants to take charge of club activities ahead of their Champions League campaign.
During his absence, Pasuwa also had with him eight DeMbare players who made part of the national squad at the CHAN finals in South Africa where Zimbabwe finished a credible fourth.
But as the three-time championship winning coach took charge of the DeMbare squad for the first time this year, he found himself confronted by the same old problems that rock Dynamos at the start of every year, dispute over the status of players.
The Glamour Boys will face Botswana side Mochudi Centre Chiefs in a Champions League preliminary round, first leg tie at the National Sports Stadium.
But Pasuwa finds himself confronted with the problems where not all the players registered with Caf for the Champions League will be available for selection.
Just days after losing key defender Gift Bello to FC Platinum, Dynamos would now have to make frantic efforts to secure approval from Monoz to use Madamombe after it emerged that the player still belongs to the relegated outfit.
Ugandan international Boban Zirintusa missed much of the pre-season training only arriving in the country last Saturday and highly unlikely to have gained fitness in time for the match
Madamombe’s initial contract with Monoz ended last year while he was on loan to Dynamos, but a further extension until the end of December 2014, was then agreed.
Yesterday, Madamombe’s manager Gibson Mahachi revealed that Dynamos and Monoz are still to reach common ground over the player.
“The situation is sad because the clubs are failing to agree and now it’s the player who is bound to be affected,” said Mahachi.
Sources close to Madamombe claim that the player is owed more than US$4 000 by Monomotapa in signing on fees and salaries, yet Monoz are not eager to issue a clearance for the player to join Dynamos soon before ironing some outstanding issues.
Monoz chairman Joseph Mukoki said he was expecting to meet with his Dynamos counterpart Kenny Mubaiwa to find some common ground before the end of the week.
Mukoki suspects that Dynamos are attempting to influence Madamombe to disregard his contract with Monoz on the basis that the former Premiership outfit owe him some money.
“The position is that Madamombe belongs to Monomotapa and he was on loan to Dynamos last season. Logically at the end of his loan period, he reverted to being a Monomotapa player.
“If at all Dynamos want the player for another season, then they could come and negotiate with us, but they never did that formally.
“We only heard through the grapevine and sometimes through the media that Dynamos want Madamombe but nothing official to us.
“However, I have been talking to the Dynamos chairman Kenny Mubaiwa and we should be meeting before the end of this week to discuss the issue.”
Mukoki said they would try to ensure the player’s opportunity to feature in the Champions League was not prejudiced.
“I do not think the player could be affected if Dynamos want to use him on Sunday. In any case he is registered and Dynamos have a precedence where they have used Farayi Vimisayi (from Hwange) in the Champions League but could not use him in the domestic league.
“We could owe our players any amount, but that does not make them free agents. Madamombe’s case is even peculiar in that we took him when he was 13-years-old and have developed him into what he is today. He has a contract with us even if we owe him.
“I am not accusing anyone here, but I understand that nine of the players have been influenced to approach the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe so that we grant them free status.
“But these are purely labour issues and how many companies in Zimbabwe owe their workers money?” said Mukoki.
Madamombe’s case, together with his former Monoz teammate Kuda Musharu have now been taken to the Football Union of Zimbabwe.
FUZ secretary-general Paul Gundani yesterday said his union was pressing for an audience with Zifa so that the players are cleared soon.
Musharu is set to play for How Mine, who take on Zanzibar side FC Chouni in the Confederation Cup at Barbourfields on Saturday.
“When a club goes for something like three months without paying players, then the players are free to move on and in Monomotapa’s case, they last paid the players in May 2013. Monomotapa agreed that they are in breach of contract but want to negotiate with the clubs that want the players to release them,” said Gundani.
Gundani believes the Fifa Statutes state that in such a scenario, Monomotapa should just release the players .
“Right now we have written to Zifa so that the chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze grants free agents status to the players.
“The other route would be to approach the Players’ Status Committee, but these players have not been paid for a long time and cannot raise the US$1 000.
“We just need the players cleared so that they can continue with their careers while the clubs negotiate,” said Gundani.
Meanwhile, Dynamos are expected to build-up the team spirit within their squad by holding a luncheon today.
Dynamos retained the bulk of their players from last season while they have captured the key signatures of Ronald Chitiyo, Tafadzwa Rusike, Themba Ndlovu, Walter Mukanga and Masimba Mambare.
Team manager Richard Chihoro yesterday said some of their new signings have not yet met their clubs’ executive, but that chance will be presented today.
“We had a fruitful training (yesterday) as the coach has now joined the squad and he even had those players who were with the national team.
“Remember we have a number of new players and we think it’s proper that we get to know each other within the Dynamos family.
“Some players have not met the executive while some members of the executive have also not met the players.
“We will have a get-together where the technical team and the players will be introduced to the executive committee so that we work as a team,” said Chihoro.
“Each year we usually meet as the Dynamos players and officials to get to know each other and this is good, especially ahead of Sunday’s match,” said Chihoro.
Mochudi Centre Chiefs are expected to arrive tomorrow while How Mine’s opponents FC Chouni arrive today.
“Mochudi indicated that they will come on Friday, but they have not given further details while FC Chouni will come aboard an Ethiopian Airways flight in Harare around 3pm on Thursday (today).
“Chouni will then proceed to Bulawayo later in the day by another flight and will play How Mine on Saturday.
“Dynamos’ game is on Sunday and the charges will be US$3 for the rest of the ground, US$10 for Bays 15-18 and US$20 for the VVIP tribune,” said Zifa Communications manager Xolisani Gwesela.
Online Reporter