DeMbare under fire

1002-1-1-BACK PAGE FEB 11 2016Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
PREMIERSHIP giants Dynamos have come under fire over their botched deal to lure back Zimbabwean international midfielder Archieford Gutu with the player’s handlers claiming they were put off by the former champions’ “Big Brother” attitude.

Dynamos have since lost the midfielder — who had been training with them for the last few weeks —to their bitter city rivals CAPS United.

Gutu surprised many people who were at the National Sports Stadium on Tuesday when he came on as a second-half substitute for CAPS United in their international friendly match against Zambian side Kabwe Warriors.

There had been hopes by DeMbare fans that they would see Gutu reunite with the Glamour Boys after his stint in Europe and when the Zimbabwe international spent time training with Dynamos, it all seemed to point to a perfect reunion.

However, it seems relations suddenly soured between Gutu’s management and DeMbare at the time when it appeared the player’s handlers and the club were “tying up loose ends” of the deal to have the midfielder back at the blue half of the capital.

Gutu had been training with his old teammates for the last two weeks and had agreed terms to return to his old club.

But now that move will not materialise as he has now penned a one-year deal with Makepekepe.

Gutu’s manager Calvin Nyazema yesterday opened up on what transpired on the player’s surprise switch to CAPS United.

The midfielder decided to return home following the expiry of his contract with Swedish club Allsvenskan side Kalmar FF.

Nyazema said they had given DeMbare the priority but they were put off by the Harare giants’ “Big Brother” attitude despite having agreed virtually on everything last week except certain wording in the contract.

While dismissing claims that Gutu was not happy after having been offered a car as part of his sign-on fees, Nyazema said they were irked by Dynamos’ apparent reluctance to revise some of the contentious clauses in the contract.

Nyazema said Dynamos did not negotiate in good faith and were frustrated by the former champions’ conduct, whom he accused of dragging their feet when asked to rephrase some vague words in the contract.

“Let me make it clear, the issue of the car was never mentioned in our negotiations.

“I don’t know where that is coming from because Dynamos never offered him a car.

“Gutu had to move because there were pertinent issues bordering on professionalism which we could not accept.

“We had agreed on almost everything with Dynamos including the salaries and the sign-on fees but there were certain clauses in their contract which were vague and we wanted them revised.

“I even indicated these areas to them but we were frustrated when they started sending us from pillar to post. The problem with the people at Dynamos is that they have a ‘Big Brother’ attitude. They think everyone is so desperate to play for the club.

“We are all professionals. I have 11 years experience in football but it doesn’t augur well when some people start treating you like a kid. It’s unacceptable.

“Sometimes they make you wait, sometimes they don’t call when they are supposed to call and you have to chase after them all the time. So I don’t think they were sincere.

“Their contract was so vague to the extent that, for example, if the player got injured while on club duty you can’t hold them liable and if he can’t get his sign-on fees until the last day of the year, you also can’t hold them liable,” said Nyazema.

Gutu was supposed to be unveiled as a CAPS United player yesterday but the ceremony was postponed.

Despite the sudden switch, Nyazema said the player is happy with the developments in his career.

“Archieford is a professional footballer and we often sit down to discuss what is best for his career. He can only play where he thinks conditions are best for him to develop his career.

“I am always there to give advice. But I can’t force him to play where he doesn’t want.

“It’s his choice at the end of the day. But with the form that he is in, I don’t see him lasting long in the domestic Premiership,” said Nyazema.

Although Nyazema blamed Dynamos for the collapse of the deal, the Harare giants’ secretary-general Webster Chikengezha refuted the claims made by the player’s management.

Chikengezha said they were taken by surprise when they learnt that Gutu was no longer signing his contract.

“We had agreed virtually on everything with Archieford except on some clauses which they had wanted changed.

“We actually changed the wording as they had asked but then I heard he requested a meeting with the president last week and when following up he did not answer his phone.

“The next thing we heard was that he was going to CAPS United.

“We called his manager and he confirmed.

“The other thing that should be known is that Archieford was never offered a car.

“In fact it’s not a club policy that players should get cars as part of their sign-on fees.

“This trend started when players themselves asked for cars and we negotiated with the chairman (Kenny Mubaiwa) to facilitate.

“The players themselves would go to the car sale and negotiate the prices and then bring a quotation to the club. But we have since stopped that.

“Any player who wants a car should go and buy for himself,” said Chikengezha.

 

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