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Eddie Chikamhi and Tadious Manyepo
THE under-fire Dynamos executive will today hold a make-or-break meeting with their want-away Cameroonian striker Christian Epoupa as relations between the club and the player have reached tipping point. The Harare giants owe the Cameroonian in excess of $16 000 in signing-on fees and other allowances and the player has refused to play for the team until they pay him at least half of that amount.
Dynamos are reeling at the bottom of the log standings having picked just a single point from their opening four games this season. And coach Lloyd Mutasa has always been saying Epoupa could have helped them had he been available.
The soap opera surrounding the Cameroonian has even taken another twist as his work permit expired on March 31 and the team’s officials are yet to facilitate for its renewal.
Epoupa’s manager, Gilbert Sengwe, told The Herald yesterday that, along with his client, they will meet the team’s executive in what he termed “make-or-break assignment”
“I will meet Epoupa before the actual meeting with the Dynamos executive and he will have to tell me what he thinks is best for him. He has been telling me that he wants to return to Cameroon as he said he no longer wants to play for Dynamos.
“But, it seems, he has had a change of heart and I will meet with him so that he tells me what he wants. If he says he longer wants to continue then that will be it. “After that we will be meeting with Dynamos. The team owes my client a substantial amount of money,” he said.
Sengwe said his client will not accept any promises as Dynamos have always been promising what they cannot deliver. He said Epoupa has lost trust with DeMbare’s leadership.
Sengwe said Epoupa’s situation has been made even difficult by the fact that his compatriot Albert Eonde is enjoying his stay at FC Platinum. Both players are managed by the same Zimbabwean agent.
The contrast has left the 24-year-old, who arrived in Zimbabwe last year and finished as runner-up in the Golden Boot race, contemplating his options.
“Dynamos have not been playing ball. This boy is a foreigner and had asked the club to facilitate his payments in United States dollars but they haven’t done anything.
“His situation is a huge contrast with Eonde who has not encountered any problem with FC Platinum. I think that’s the other thing that is troubling him. He loved Dynamos but I don’t think he still has the same trust which he had when he arrived here.
“In fact, Epoupa had recommended another striker from Cameroon for Dynamos, just as good as himself or even better, but the boy has since backtracked and is playing domestic football at home.
“He was keen to come down here but after hearing of the troubles Epoupa is going through with this team, he is no longer interested.
“(But) we are going to meet them. We will never be flattered into agreeing to promises. The player needs his money, without which he will be forced to return to Cameroon where his family is demanding he comes back.
“I have been working flat out trying to convince him to be a little bit patient but it seems nothing will ever come out. The striker’s future with Dynamos will depend upon the outcome of today’s meeting.’’ DeMbare coach Mutasa admitted that the absence of Epoupa in his line-up has hurt his misfiring team.
The Glamour Boys have failed to find the target in the last two games against Ngezi Platinum Stars and Highlanders, losing by identical 1-0 scorelines.
“Ntouba was our top goalscorer last season and we are not scoring goals, obviously, you cannot run away from the fact that probably he is part and parcel of the things that we are missing in the puzzle.
“But there are certain things that you don’t have control over. As a coach you have to try and make do with what you have. Unfortunately, for now, it’s not working,” said Mutasa.
The winless Glamour Boys sunk to their third defeat in four games and now find themselves in unfamiliar second from bottom place.
Even their supporters are feeling let down. Police fired teargas to disperse the DeMbare crowd that caused chaos at Rufaro following the defeat to Highlanders on Easter Monday.
Online Reporter