Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
McCLIVE Phiri made a big break yesterday when he completed a “dream move” to South African topflight side Bidvest Wits where he penned a two year-deal.
It’s a good move for Phiri who came to Highlanders at the start of 2018 season after being discarded by Ngezi Platinum Stars who had used him at a wrong position, playing him as a striker instead of a defender.
He gave his all to Highlanders, becoming a fans’ darling with his mazy runs into the opposition’s defence and his trademark crosses.
On and off the field he was a disciplined, clean player, shying away from any form of controversies.
It was rare to see Phiri wandering the streets of Bulawayo after training sessions and as a “night-rider” myself, we never crossed paths at the many watering holes dotted around the city like I did with some athletes.
As Phiri prepares to take his first move towards greener pastures, I feel sorry for Bulawayo giants Highlanders who will take pride in giving the defender a platform to shine, yet their bank balance remains the same.
Phiri left as a free agent and for all the investment that Highlanders made to the player, he leaves for free.
On the same breath, one will argue that the player did his part for the club and when he played hide and seek as Bosso tried to court him to extend his contract, he was preparing to cash in on a big deal.
Yes, cash in. Because now he gets to negotiate for his own sign-on fee and its a bargain for Wits who will not pay Highlanders for the services of Phiri.
We can’t blame Highlanders for failing to tie down Phiri, neither can we blame Wits for grabbing the opportunity to sign a quality player.
We can’t also blame Phiri for delaying to make up his mind as he anticipated a move, but a thing to note is that clubs now prefer to sign out-of-contract players.
“We don’t have to be hard on players that don’t want to sign contracts or extend their stay at the club in pursuit of greener pastures. Efforts are made by your administration to extend players’ contracts while there’s time, but players choose not to sign as they think of greener pastures. It’s a fact of life that people move for better money and in as much as we try to keep our best, the economic environment has a bearing on retaining players,” said Highlanders board chairman Luke Mnkandla during his presentation at the club’s annual general meeting held on January 26, 2020.
That was frank talk from Mnkandla.
However, the problem of losing players as free agents is not peculiar to Highlanders, it’s the “in thing” as clubs prefer dealing directly with players.
This is a threat to survival of most teams, especially those that spend substantial amounts developing the players, giving them a platform to shine only for others to come and make clean, easy sweeps.
Former Zifa education officer Brian Moyo feels the popular skewed way of conducting transfer business has ripple effects to the game.
“Imagine one club invests in a player by providing sign-on fees and develop the talent, but a big club comes in and take the player for free. Most of the clubs that prefer to deal with free-agents actually approach a player when they are still contracted and once they hear that the contract has a year or less to expire, they encourage them to run down the contract. We’re not saying players mustn’t move, but imagine what that little token of appreciation given to the club that nurtures the player can do. If we encourage players to move as free agents, there is danger that we are eating the goose and the eggs because how will those that develop the player recoup their investment?” said Moyo.
The madness of swooping on free agents also sends a signal about the player that one chases as the player might be viewed as disloyal.
Obviously no one can eat loyalty but there’s a danger that a player might fail to realise his potential by being nomadic.
A clear message to players is that form and maturity follows you when you’re stable at one place. Those that travel too much gather very little in terms of their game.
Another tip for players is that it’s a gamble to try and move as a free agent as you may pick up an injury while attending trials and you find yourself without financial backing to cater for medical bills and other costs.
—@ZililoR
Online Reporter