SRC resolve Pasuwa impasse Callisto Pasuwa

PASUWA CALLLPetros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIFA had to once again rely on the Sport and Recreation Commission to break their latest impasse with coach Callisto Pasuwa, with the supreme sports body raising part of the Warriors mentor’s outstanding salary.

The Warriors’ preparations were thrown into a fresh crisis on Thursday night when Pasuwa dumped the national team after ZIFA failed to fulfil the promises they had made to pay him by June 30.

Apart from defaulting on their promise, ZIFA, who also owe the players their appearance fees for the African Nations Championships first leg tie against Comoros at Rufaro, have failed to communicate with either the coach or the players over their outstanding dues.

It was only after Pasuwa had dumped camp and tasked his manager Gibson Mahachi to handle the matter that ZIFA were jolted into action and tried to make a fresh pledge to pay up on July 31.

But Mahachi rejected the new ZIFA bid made by the association’s chief executive Jonathan Mashingaidze yesterday in which he included a proposal to seal the coach’s contract on July 10.

With the impasse not looking to end, ZIFA then turned to the Sports Commission, with the supreme sports body’s director-general Charles Nhemachena directly contacting Mahachi to try and thrash out a deal.

Mahachi last night confirmed that after failing to reach an agreement with ZIFA, he had been approached by the Sports Commission, who made an undertaking to pay an undisclosed amount to the coach before departure.

“Yes, it is true that the Sports Commission tried to make a commitment on behalf of ZIFA, but we indicated to them that we have been travelling the route of promises and promises since the coach started working for the national teams,” said Mahachi.

“It was only after further discussions that the Sports Commission then undertook to pay the coach some amount to give his family and that is to be done just before the flight leaves. We will then resume talks with ZIFA upon return.

“So, he is on his way now to join the rest of the squad in time for departure if the issue of the flight is finalised,’’ Mahachi said.

Earlier, Pasuwa opened up on the frustration he had been enduring, with the coach revealing that some of the players had begun to doubt his sincerity as he has always had to persuade them to train and play while the grievances related to their welfare were being addressed.

“What is most frustrating is that they do not come out in the open and tell the players the truth about paying them,’ said Pasuwa.

“They told the players after the Comoros game at home that they would pay them their appearance fees when they returned for camp for the second leg.

“All they gave them was their allowances ($100 each) and up to last night no one had bothered to come and explain to the players and I have been begging not just these players, but even the foreign-based professionals who were here for the Malawi game have had similar problems.

“They promised the players that they would be paid upon return from Malawi, but most of them have since returned to their club bases without receiving their money and all they keep saying is that the coach should keep persuading them.

“If we do not address these issues, then we may not have foreign-based players coming for the September game against Guinea. Even some of the locals now prefer to remain at their clubs where they are guaranteed of payment and that is not good for the national teams.

“We should be focusing on the game and not the monetary problems,’’ Pasuwa said.

Just last month, it had to take Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Andrew Langa to personally intervene and persuade Pasuwa to travel with the Warriors to Malawi.

The players also staged a sit-in at their hotel and refused to board their scheduled flight, with the Warriors eventually undertaking a road trip to Blantyre for their Nations Cup Group L opening assignments.

Dube also promised to pay Pasuwa his dues by June 30, but when nothing came the coach’s way his manager felt they had given ZIFA enough time to show their commitment to meeting the gaffer’s welfare.

Pasuwa hasn’t been paid in the 10 months that he has doubled up as Warriors and Young Warriors coach, with the former Dynamos mentor already guiding the Under-23 side to the Africa Games in Congo in September.

The Young Warriors will also now just need to clear the South African hurdle to book a maiden appearance at the African Under-23 Championships in Senegal in December, while the Warriors look poised to overcome Comoros despite the plethora of problems haunting their camp and even the uncertainty over their flight.

Mahachi said it was imperative that ZIFA create an atmosphere of trust between them, the coach and the players.

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