DeMbare players continue strike

By Nigel Matongorere

HARARE – For the third straight day, Dynamos players yesterday refused to train unless they were paid their outstanding bonuses and signing-on fees.

The players reported for training at Zimphos Grounds and like they have done since Monday, declined to take to the field unless their outstanding dues were paid.

The players are also not happy with the club’s policy of not paying players who are currently injured.

At the moment, the club has stopped paying allowances to the likes of Sydney Linyama, Clive Kawinga, Masimba Mambare, Tawanda Muparati and Anesu Gondo, who are in the sick bay.

According to one player, they had proposed writing a petition to push out club chairman Kenny Mubaiwa before deciding against the move.

“We feel the club is not being sincere to our plight and as players we had resorted to writing a petition to the club’s board of directors to intervene but we later decided against that approach,” said the player.

“It’s been three days and none of the executive members has shown up to give us a clear position on when they will pay us the outstanding money,” said the player.
Efforts to get a comment from Mubaiwa proved fruitless as his phone went unanswered.

Attempts to get in touch with the Glamour Boys’ secretary-general Webster Chikengezha also hit a brick wall.

The club’s board of directors chairman Bernard Marriot said he was in Chihota on church business and would be able to comment on the current squabbles once he got back to the capital on Saturday.

The training boycott is likely to have a negative effect on Dynamos coach Calisto Pasuwa’s plans for Sunday’s clash with Black Rhinos in the first round of the Chibuku Super Cup at Gwanzura Stadium.

Meanwhile, Black Rhinos coach Jostein Mathuthu says the army side are not looking much into the problems in the Glamour Boys’ camp.

Mathuthu took over at the One Commando-based side at the end of last month and has led the club to a four-match unbeaten run including a 0-0 draw against DeMbare at Rimuka Stadium.

“I don’t want to read much into the troubles at Dynamos. The club has been like that for many years and that is Dynamos for you,” Mathuthu told the Daily News yesterday.

“What I know is, they are preparing well for this game and we believe they are doing a proper job.

“We will not get complacent and think it will be an easy game on Sunday.”

Since taking over from Arthur Tutani, Mathuthu has turned Chipembere into a solid unit that is now difficult to break down.

The Zimbabwe National Army side is yet to concede a goal in those four league matches under the former CAPS United and ZPC Kariba coach.

“We need to approach that game with a winning mentally and any coach will tell you they always want to play to win every game.

“It’s the same with me and my team, we always play to win every game we play in,” Mathuthu says of Sunday’s match.

After watching his team hold DeMbare to a goalless draw in the league, Mathuthu feels the tempo of the weekend’s meeting will change since it is a cup encounter.

“It will definitely change. The complexion of the game will change because it will be a cup game and there must be a winner at the end of the match. We are hoping that we will be that winner,” he said. Daily News