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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
CAPS United midfielder Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo will have to wait a bit longer before a delicate operation procedure is carried on his knee as the star’s manager and a Zambia-based doctor are not agreeing on the way forward.

He suffered a knee injury after he was hit by a car in Epworth five months ago.

His team have been struggling to put the resources together to enable him to undergo an operation in South Africa where over $12 000 is needed.

Touched by the midfielder’s plight, the Zambia-based medical doctor, Enos Mufushwa, offered to assist the talented star.

And, for once, Chitiyo could afford a smile as he was scheduled to be operated on last Tuesday, but the procedure has been put on hold after Mufushwa and the player’s manager Kudakwashe Chidemo had contrasting views.

Mufushwa yesterday warned the midfielder’s career will be in danger if the operation is delayed any longer.

“I can confirm that Ronald Chitiyo is yet to be operated on as his manager, Kudakwashe Chidemo, instructed us to wait as he said there is a South African club, which I can’t name at the moment, which has pledged to pay for the player’s operation which is more advanced than the one we had scheduled to undertake,” said Mufushwa.

“We were supposed to do the procedure on Tuesday last week. My team had to repeat the ultrasound scans since the ones Chitiyo had were old ones.

“After the scans he had to be admitted at a local hospital awaiting results and the operation, but then his manager stopped us.

“The player is still here, waiting for the day the said club will pay for the procedure.

“As a concerned Zimbabwean, I had volunteered to help the player. Chitiyo’s case touched my heart as I heard something in the region of R115 000 was needed for him to get operated on.

“He sustained the injury in February and he is still waiting. The more he waits the more the muscles undergo fibrosis and even the arthroscopy will be expensive.

“The one we wanted to carry out costs $545 which is only for the facilities and other minor logistics, but the one the said South African team is proposing needs  $8 000.

“The only difference is the one we had scheduled will leave a bit bigger scar, but the player will heal fast and play again.

“Anyway, we cannot go ahead with the operation without the manager’s consent. But, what is even more worrying is the fact that Chitiyo told me that he was once promised the same thing last time around, but nothing materialised.’’

Chidemo is confident his client will be successfully operated on, but stressed the procedure won’t go ahead before a thorough analysis is done.

“Basically, we are just evaluating a few issues, we are in talks with the doctor who is assisting us on a few procedures.

“Obviously, further assessments were done which we are just working on to make a decision so that the player can continue with his career.

“The issue about the South African club is a premature chat, nothing solid and we are, as I have said, still evaluating some decisions,” he said.