Warriors lay down demands…. $5 000 per player per game

By Grace Chingoma

Zimbabwe’s Warriors have laid down their demands ahead of their trip to Gabon for the African Cup of Nations with the senior team’s players reportedly demanding $15 000 each for their three Group B games.

The players are demanding $5 000 per player for each of their games against Algeria, Senegal and Tunisia.

Although a final decision is yet to be reached, sources indicated last night, that ZIFA believe the demands are outrageous.

Furthermore the players want a daily allowance of $300 per day per player for the duration of the tournament.

The Warriors began the Nations Cup camp on December 27 and that will run initially up to the group stages.

Should they go beyond the group stage, the Warriors want 40 percent of the prize money as winning bonuses .

But before the bonus issue is resolved, the Warriors yesterday had a dispute with ZIFA over their accommodation, with the senior team rejecting a move to house them at the ZIFA Village in Mt Hampden.

Despite the facility having undergone some renovations, the Warriors still reckoned the village was still not up their expectations and elected to remain at Rainbow Towers where they checked into on December 27.

ZIFA spokesperson Xolisani Gwesela yesterday said they will continue to engage the players on the accommodation issue.

On allowances, the spokesperson said such matters are confidential and cannot be discussed in the media.

“Preparations of a tournament of this nature involve a lot of issues. As you are aware we are working with limited resources. A private company that is running the ZIFA Village has refurbished the establishment into a state-of-the-art hospitality centre, hence we had resolved the Warriors should stay there during this period.

If you go there now, you will realise that the standards have gone up. The ZIFA Village is ready to offer outstanding hospitality to our Warriors,” he said.

However, Gwesela said the impasse has not affected the AFCON preparations with the team training twice a day at Gateway High.

“We would like to assure the football loving nation and fans that there is no standoff between ZIFA and the players. Preparations are going on smoothly and training sessions will continue until we depart for Gabon.

“The team is at Rainbow Towers at the moment, but we would like to have them at ZIFA Village, we will continue to engage the players and the technical team until a win-win situation is reached,’’ Gwesela said.

The players toured the ZIFA Village yesterday and resolved to snub the facility.

ZIFA have been renovating the Village where they also contracted a company to carry out some maintenance work, but the work done so far still leaves a lot to be desired according to the players.

The players contend the football mother body should invest in more work before the place becomes comfortable for the senior national team to camp there.

ZIFA have been left in a quandary, according to sources close to the goings on in the Warriors camp, the ZIFA executive are not happy that the players have refused to stay at the association’s premises which are free.

The cash-strapped association was hoping to cut on some costs by having the team stay at the Village where they have of late invested quite substantial amount to renovate it so that all national teams camp there before assignments. The Herald