CAPS Utd in U-turn on sacked players

Grace Chingoma
Senior Sports Reporter
CAPS United yesterday made a U-turn and pardoned three players that they had fired on Monday for being the ring leaders of an industrial action that occurred before their weekend’s Castle Lager Premiership football encounter against Cranborne Bullets at the National Sports Stadium.

The trio of midfielders Rodwell Chinyengetere, Devon Chafa and Ronald “Rooney’’ Chitiyo were forgiven and will now stay at the club.

However, goalkeeper Simba Chinani, defender Dennis Dauda and striker Clive Augusto were the fall guys and have been released by the Harare giants.

Former Dynamos goalkeeper, Chinani, could have further irked the club as well as his coach, Lloyd Chitembwe, by his behaviour during the match in which he dished out substituting instructions.

The six players were axed on Monday by the club as they took an extreme decision in order to bring instability back to the club.

The Green Machine’s leadership said they had confidence in the players that would remain at the Premiership club.

But barely 24 hours after that decision, and tempers have cooled down, the club’s leadership had a sudden change of heart and decided to pardon some of the players that were fingered as the architects of the shameful industrial action on Sunday.

The club’s administration team told The Herald yesterday that upon further investigations, the club found out that the trio of Chinyengetere, Chafa and Chitiyo actually played a big part in persuading the other players to go and play on Sunday, as the players threatened to boycott the match against Cranborne Bullets. The Green Machine lost 2-0 to the army side after a chaotic afternoon that resulted in a 45-minute delay to the game.

The players had threatened to boycott the match against Cranborne Bullets at the National Sports Stadium in protest over their unpaid dues.

“So far only three players have been released after further investigations showed that some of the players that were fingered as ring leaders actually played a big part in trying to diffuse the flames.

“We did internal investigations, got hold of a new piece of information which helped us to get a clear and full picture. So we decided to pardon Rodwell (Chinyengetere), Devon Chafa) and Ronald (Chitiyo); and part ways with the other players,” said CAPS United in a statement yesterday. Sources close to the club said the two-time Soccer Star of the Year award winner, Chinyengetere, was initially fingered as the chief architect of the industrial action after a message he sent to the players’ (whatsup) group was wrongly interpreted.

Chinyengetere’s message read: “Well done boys, we tried our best, that was the result of the day, we responded well and gave it all under the circumstance, we should be proud of ourselves.

“People, our coaches, our bosses will say much but let’s not dwell much on it but we had a message to pass to them and they got it.

“Individually, let’s not allow to be divided by whoever, we did it as a group and that was for the benefit of everyone, we stood by what we did, let’s remain nekunzwisisana ikokuya tichienda mberi, we keep on agreeing as a group.

“Rather, they should see more unity among the group from now on, going forward.”

ÇAPS United have since promoted Under-20 goalkeeper Tatenda Kahwena who joins the goalkeeping department that has Tonderai Mateyaunga and Tatenda Munditi.

“We have brought in a junior goalkeeper. The coaches are still working on adding other players coming from the juniors, and once they are ready, we will register the players,” said the club. Normalcy is back at the Green Machine and today the club’s leadership is expected to address the players reminding them of the club’s vision and policy. Makepekepe also believes the release of the three players — Chinani, Dauda and Augusto — will send a strong message to the other players that the club does not tolerate chaotic behaviour at the club.

CAPS United travel to Zvishavane this weekend for a tricky tie against champions FC Platinum at Mandava on Saturday.

Castle Lager Premiership Fixtures

Friday: Cranborne Bullets v Yadah (National Sports Stadium).

Saturday: Harare City v Manica Diamonds (National Sports Stadium), Chicken Inn v Herentals (Luveve), ZPC Kariba v Whawha (Nyamhunga), FC Platinum v CAPS United (Mandava), Black Rhinos v Ngezi Platinum (Sakubva).

Sunday: Tenax v Triangle (Sakubva), Dynamos v Bulawayo City (National Sports Stadium), Bulawayo Chiefs v Highlanders (Barbourfields).

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