Harrison quits Mark Harrison
Mark Harrison

Mark Harrison

Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
MARK Harrison has quit CAPS United the club he worked with in the past four months.

The Green Machine have since elevated Mark Mathe, who was the assistant coach, to the position of head coach until the end of the season.

He will be assisted by Brenna Msiska.

The Englishman left the Green Machine saying that he had failed to recover from the trauma he suffered when he went for months without being paid.

CAPS United confirmed his departure in a statement.

“Notice is given to the CAPS United Family and the broader football fraternity that yesterday, Sunday the 14th June, 2015, I received coach MARK HARRISON’s resignation as CAPS United Football Club Coach,” club chairman, Lewis Uriri, said in the statement.

“A resignation, by its very nature, is a unilateral act which requires neither the employer’s consent nor concurrence therein.

“Coach Harrison has, in his resignation, cited the damage to his personal and professional life occasioned by the unfortunate operating environment prior to the appointment of the present Board at CAPS United FC during the first four months of his tenure.

“Additionally, coach Harrison has taken into account certain personal and professional imperatives that he feels he cannot compromise on.

“The Board of CAPS United Football Club (Private) Limited wishes coach Harrison the best in his future endeavours.”

Uriri also announced the elevation of Mathe. The Board of CAPS United wishes to advise that Mark Mathe takes over as caretaker coach until the end of the season. He will be assisted by Brenna Msiska,” said Uriri.

“The Board wishes to assure all stake holders that everything possible is being done to bring stability to the Green Machine.

“The Board is acutely aware of the need to timeously and adequately inform the broader CAPS UNITED family and the public of developments at CAPS UNITED.

“A full disclosure of the turnaround strategy, business plan, Club Policy, management and control as well as the funding requirements and strategy will be made in short course only to the extent that it is consistent with the basic tenets of corporate governance.

“The broader CAPS UNITED family and stakeholders are urged to exercise extreme patience and restraint as the Board seeks to turn around the fortunes of the Green Machine.

“Speculation, conjecture and communication other than from the Board may harm the vision and ongoing deliberations with various stakeholders.”

It is believed that Harrison has already secured a job with a South African club.

Harare businessman, Farai Jere, who is now the majority shareholder at CAPS United after improving his stake to 80 percent of the club, met Harrison at his home on Sunday and tried to persuade the coach to stay.

However, Harrison said he was reeling from the demons of the months he had worked under duress and he believes it would be in his best interests to move elsewhere.

Interestingly, Harrison has decided to move after the operating environment at the Green Machine has vastly improved with the coach also getting a company car to use while his rentals were all settled.

Yesterday, the Englishman received all his outstanding dues as part of the divorce with CAPS United.

Sources said Harrison has been telling colleagues that he can get, at least, R150 000 a month, a car and a house in South Africa and appears to have used his time at the Green Machine to rebuild his profile and attract suitors from across the Limpopo.

“I will not be surprised to hear that Mark has already signed a deal with a club in South Africa because this divorce came out of the blue and at a time when he appeared to be enjoying himself again at CAPS United,” said the sources.

“Remember that the issue about Mark being nomadic was raised again and again by the media here and the coach was adamant that he was not here for the money, but to be part of a project that he wants to develop.

“That he worked all these months, without being paid, appeared to suggest that he was committed to this project and the question therefore is, why would he suddenly jump ship now when the operating climate has improved?

“Is it a coincidence that, at this time of the year, the market opens for coaches in South Africa and there is a lot of movement there and he could have got a job there?

“Somehow, everything just doesn’t add up.”

Harrison was not picking his mobile phone yesterday.

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