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Twine Phiri

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
JUST when they seemed to mount a strong challenge for their first Castle Lager Premiership title in nine years, CAPS United were last night facing the grim prospects of failing to travel to Bulawayo for a date against Bantu Rovers.Simmering boardroom problems have torched a financial crisis at the Green Machine.

The Harare giants, fourth on the log standings, are scheduled to take on Bantu Rovers at Hartsfield this afternoon before proceeding to Zvishavane for a ZNA Charity Shield Cup final date against FC Platinum at Mandava on Saturday.

As of 8.30pm last night, their trip to Bulawayo was hanging in the balance with seemingly no immediate solution in sight after it emerged that CAPS United had failed to secure about US$5 000 needed for their travel, accommodation and player allowances.

Coach Taurai Mangwiro was in upbeat mood on Tuesday afternoon as he expressed great optimism on their championship chances with the gaffer’s spirits having been boosted by the fact that he had on that day managed to conduct a full squad for the first time this season.

However, Mangwiro’s optimism soon turned into despair yesterday as his plans to travel a day before their game hit a brick wall after it emerged that there was no money  for the trip. Mangwiro was against the idea of travelling to Bulawayo on the same day of the match.

“It would be best to travel a day before the game and ensure we have enough rest rather than try to make an early morning trip and with all the delays being caused by the construction work on the highways, it would not be conducive to get into Bulawayo just a couple of hours before the match,” said Mangwiro before going into a meeting last night.

“We are still going to meet and see what position we can come up with this evening.”

CAPS United board member in charge of marketing, Nhamo Tutisani, declined to discuss much on the simmering crisis at the Green Machine and referred all questions to the club’s president Twine Phiri who, however, could not be reached for comment despite repeated efforts by this newspaper.

“I am sure the club president (Phiri) is aware of the situation at the team and I believe he will run around and rescue the situation,’’ Tutisani said.

The players, eager to fulfil the fixture, trooped to Tutisani’s offices in a bid to get clarification after waiting in vain for the bus that was to take them to Bulawayo.

What had been a promising season for CAPS United now seems destined for a volatile end amid indications that the board that had been working hard behind the scenes to bring sanity and stability at the club is being frustrated by some of the polices that Phiri has put in place which have resulted in the directors withholding their funding.

Phiri has not been involved in the day-to-day affairs of the club as he focuses more on his duties at the PSL where he is the chairman.

Since the year started, CAPS have been administered by a board and a secretariat amid revelations that the board members have been chipping in with funding to help the Premiership giants stay afloat and avert a player exodus.

Sources at Makepekepe said yesterday that the players, who are still owed a substantial amount of money, also wanted to be addressed on when they would be paid their dues before setting on the road trip to Bulawayo.

CAPS United have already lost one of the influential board members, Harare lawyer Lewis Uriri, who resigned at the start of last month, exactly seven months after being unveiled as part of a six-man crew whose mandate was to bring stability and life to the misfiring Green Machine.

Other members of that board of directors are Farai Jere, Mordecai Sachikonye, Khumbulani Mhlope, Alex Munyaka and Tutisani.

While CAPS United’s trip to Zvishavane will be catered for by organisers of the ZNA Charity Shield tomorrow, it is the league assignment against Bantu Rovers this afternoon for which the Green Machine risked being walked over.

With second-placed Highlanders being restricted to a goalless draw by Buffaloes yesterday at Hartsfield, and third-placed ZPC Kariba not in action until tomorrow, CAPS United were hoping to beat lowly Bantu Rovers and ease into second place.

Bosso now have 39 points, three behind leaders Dynamos who beat Chiredzi 2-0 yesterday while ZPC Kariba have 38 and CAPS United are on 37 points.