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Fungai Muderere . . .
ZIMBABWE’S Caf Champions League representatives FC Platinum have officially shown their interest in the services of Chicken Inn’s old war horse Clemence Matawu on a six-month loan deal that will see the Gamecocks receive $500 after every single match that the midfielder would have featured in, B- Metro Sport has learnt.
Matawu (36), is one of the six targeted players that the platinum miners included in their provisional squad for the African Safari that gets under way in November.
Other players being targeted by FC Platinum include Dynamos defender Peace Makaha, John Zhuwawu of Caps United, Ngezi Platinum captain Liberty Chakoroma, Triangle striker Lameck Nhamo. Prince Dube was also on the wish-list but joined Highlanders last week.
According to well-placed sources in the FC Platinum camp, the club recently made a formal inquiry on the pint-sized midfielder in the process tabling their offer.
“FC Platinum wants Clemence Matawu on a six-month loan deal that is from November 2018 to May 2019.
FC Platinum are offering to pay Chicken Inn $500 after a single game that Matawu will feature in during the loan period,” said the source.
The source added: “The player’s monthly salary will be at pro-rate, meaning the miners will take care of his salary and they will maintain the figure that he was being paid by Chicken Inn.”
Players’ loan deals have seen parent clubs take care of a loaned player’s monthly earnings.
“FC Platinum further suggested that if Matawu is loaned to them, he will receive winning bonuses and other allowances,” the source said.
Platinum head coach Norman Mapeza has targeted largely experienced players to bolster his side in order to avoid a repeat of last season’s campaign in the same competition where they were booted out in the preliminaries.
Gamecocks secretary general Tawengwa Hara said while it was their policy that they don’t stand in a player’s way, the feeling in the Chicken Inn camp was that Matawu now needed to rest.
“As for Clement we know his age. The coaches are saying he now needs to rest,” said Hara.
Matawu enjoys a good working relationship with Chicken Inn head coach Joey Antipas and his assistant Prince Matore.
The trio won the championship way back in 2010 when they were still at the now defunct Motor Action.
They also achieved the same feat in 2015 at Chicken Inn.
Matawu, a nimble-footed midfielder who has graced the local Soccer Stars calendar for a record six times (2003, 2004, 2006, 2015, 2016 and 2017 ), has proven to be in a class of his own.
However, the record for most appearances on the calendar is held by the legendary George Shaya, who won it in 1969, 1971 (finalist), 1972 (winner), 1973 (finalist), 1974 (finalist), 1975 (winner), 1976 (winner), 1977 (winner) and 1978 (finalist).
Matawu, a father of two, Matina Vanessa (5) and Jayden Tafadzwa (3), and married to Angeline Gadula, keeps fit at his advanced age by not drinking alcohol and smoking. He is studying towards a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Sports Science at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).
Meanwhile, the preliminary round of matches of inter club football get under way on the weekend of 27-28 November, with the second leg set for 4-5 December.
First round games will be played over the weekend of 14-16 December, with the second leg coming up a week later.
If “Pure Platinum Play” make it past the qualifying stages, they will go into the group stage draw on December 28 with games starting on the weekend of January 11-13, 2019 up to March 15-17.
The quarter-finals have tentatively been set for April 5-7 and April 12-14.
Online Reporter