By Paul Mundandi
CAPS United skipper Moses Muchenje says the Green Machine are not in a crisis and the challenges they are facing were not limited to them, but were being faced by the majority of the clubs in the country.
Muchenje said the Green Machine should actually be commended for sustaining their Castle Lager Premier League championship challenge in such a hostile environment.
The Green Machine left Harare late on Saturday for their trip to Hwange for a Castle Lager Premiership tie and to their credit, battled for a priceless point at the Colliery.
Their main rivals in the title race, FC Platinum, who lead the marathon, lost to Hwange recently at the same venue.
The team bus had a breakdown in Lupane, but they still managed to arrive in time for the tie after the Hwange Chapter provided assistance.
Makepekepe also missed the services of Leonard Tsipa, Ronald Pfumbidzai, Dennis Dauda and Tafadzwa Rusike who are all nursing injuries and Archiford Gutu and Hardlife Zvirekwi who were suspended.
“We are not in a crisis. Everything is going on well and it’s not only CAPS United who are going through financial difficulties, but a number of clubs, including Hwange, have not been paid for some time,” said Muchenje.
“We salute club director, Mr (Farai) Jere, for his efforts in bankrolling the team.
“It’s maybe because we are doing well and that is why we are being put in the limelight.
“We understand the prevailing economic conditions in the country. We missed about six key players over the weekend, but we managed to collect a valuable point.
“Some teams if they just miss one or two players they struggle, but it’s a different thing at CAPS United and this shows that we are a great team with big character and a great coach.”
He said the Green Machine needed their fans now to come and support the club in their numbers and improve their revenue flows from the gates.
“I urge our fans to rally behind us and the technical team,” said Muchenje.
“We have achieved a lot, so far, regarding our position on the log.
“True CAPS United fans will rally behind us and our coach and will not boo us and neither will they boo the coach.
“The section of fans who boo players, or who do not rally behind our coach, I really doubt their allegiance to CAPS United, maybe there are just a militant group who do not want us to succeed.
“Fans should be united, like our name CAPS United, for us to deliver, for us to be champions, for us to be Cup Kings, it starts with them and without them we are nothing.
“We are currently playing to get positive results in every match and see what happens at the end of the season.
“We can’t talk about the championship at this stage as we still have 33 points to play for.”
He joined CAPS United in 2013 from Gunners and was given the role of captain last season and has scored two goals this season.
“At CAPS United we play as a team and I believe everyone has the duty to make us win.
“The job of scoring goals does not rely on a striker only and that is why we see the likes of John Terry scoring in Europe.
“I urge fans to rally behind (Leonard) Tsipa, (Dominic) Chungwa and everyone in the team and results will continue coming.
“The issue of strikers, who score a lot of goals, in the country isn’t only limited to us and that is why Kangwa (Bruce) is still leading the charts despite now playing in Tanzania.
“We have even scored more goals than most of the teams, but still some people hate our coach and as the captain of the team I think those fans are not part of us. They have an agenda to destroy us as they do not want to see us succeed.
“We must always remember that Rome was not built in a day,” said Muchenje.
CAPS United will be on the road again on Sunday to Bulawayo where they will be hosted by Bulawayo City at Barbourfields, a venue where the Green Machine usually do very well. The Herald
