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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
WHILE Dynamos and Highlanders are putting their houses in order in the resort town of Victoria Falls, the other local football giant, CAPS United’s house is in flames with players not only boycotting training but even threatening to leave the Green Machine.
With a huge financial backing from energy giants Sakunda Holdings, DeMbare and Bosso have been for the past three days engaging in eye-opening deliberations on ways to fully maximize their dormant potential into financial reward even without corporate sponsorship.
The teams have been going through corporate governance drills from renowned sport management personalities including the famed Sports Leaders Institute of Zimbabwe president Russel Mhiribidi.
But, it’s not that green at the other corner which resides the country’s third-biggest team, CAPS United.
The club has struggled to pin down sponsors although they were once rumoured to have entered into an epoch-changing partnership with an unnamed English Premier Soccer League team.
But, nothing has come out and Makepekepe continue with their routine financial headaches.
The players have not been training for the past two weeks as they are owed a month’s salary which they say is not even adequate.
A player, who spoke to The Herald on condition of anonymity, said the squad will continue with the strike until their demands are met.
“The team has not been training since last week and we did not train again this week. Not only are we owed a month’s salary by the employer, but we are saying what we are getting is not enough,” he said.
“How do they expect us to even perform when we are being paid an average of $20 000.
“This is not enough for our needs as footballers, especially looking at what our peers at other teams are getting. We know the situation may not be that good at the club but they should at least be human enough to increase our salaries.
“What I can say for now is that the team has not been training and we want the bosses to increase our salaries and then pay up the outstanding figures. We cannot play the game on empty stomachs, no.”
Makepekepe’s rescheduled match-day three tie against army side Black Rhinos is even in danger of being postponed.
This game, like the other seven matches which were scheduled to take place across the country, was shelved after at least two CAPS United players tested positive for Covid-19.
Those matches have all been reinstalled for this weekend but Makepekepe’s clash with Black Rhinos could as well be in jeopardy.
CAPS United head of commercial and media, Raymond Gonte, yesterday confirmed the players were not training but pointed out that the reason was Covid-19 related.
“Of course, the team has not been training after some of our players tested positive for Covid-19 last week,” he said.
“Remember the players tested positive after they had been mingling with their teammates and even members of the staff so we had to be cautious.
“We had to restrict training so we could avoid Covid-19 spread. This is the only reason we didn’t train. We are not aware of the other reason you are mentioning.”
The Herald has it on good authority some of the players at this club have since verbally told management they want to leave Makepekepe in the upcoming transfer window which opens at the beginning of next year.
Financial woes have become a permanent fixture at the Green Machine with the team losing the 2019 league title which had seemed well within their grip after players refused to train in the run-up to their penultimate match against Ngezi Platinum.
They lost that match and allowed eventual champions FC Platinum to overtake them into pole position.
The players have gone at loggerheads with the management because of the same issue for at least three times between 2020 and now.
Makepekepe have poached back their loyal son Lloyd Chitembwe to coach the team after parting ways with Darlington Dodo who, under these circumstances, struggled to get the team going in the Chibuku Super Cup in which the side bowed out in the first round.
Chitembwe, who left CAPS United in 2019 to join Harare City, was in charge of Makepekepe when the team drew 0-0 with the Sunshine City Boys a fortnight ago.
He will be fancying his team’s chances against Black Rhinos if the game goes ahead as scheduled.
Online Reporter