Makonese in age-cheating storm

MANZINI Wanderers are claiming former Zimbabwe international Zvenyika Makonese allegedly lied to them that he was 33 years old when, in fact, he was 39.

Club general manager Patrick Gamedze claimed Makonese reduced his age by six years in his attempts to join them.

“Zvenyika Makonese came for trials like many other international players and impressed the coaches,” said Gamedze.

“As per the norm, club clearances are requested but it will be a big lie for him to claim he had been offered a contract with figures.

“If he had been honest enough he should have told the public how he claimed to be 33 years old during trials before the club discovered through it’s own research and several media reports, not just one, stating he was 39 years and approaching 40.

“This was the very reason why the club preferred not sign him. Yes, that reason was not communicated to him and as a club we preferred protecting him and his reputation from this big lie preferring not to agree to his listed figures.

“Who in his normal senses would sign a 40-year-old? We not chasing records here, we looking for productivity and, unfortunately, he has to understand he is past his peak.

“In fact, if he is looking for football pension, my advice is he should have done his best during his peak days which saw him play for big clubs like Orlando Pirates. Certainly, we value him but he just has to understand this particular fact.”

Wanderers were forced to be cautious after stumbling on Zvenyika’s correct age having faced challenges with qualifications for two of their most recent coaches Shepherd Murape and Julius Chakupewa.

The Swazi outfit were forced to get rid of Murape at the beginning of 2016 as he could not produce a mandatory CAF B requirement, while Chakupewa allegedly suffered the same fate as he faced delays in receiving his CAF B from SAFA.

Our sister paper B-METRO stated that the main reason why the Makonese deal flopped was because the club could not afford the foreign players and coach’s wage bill.

Wanderers got rid of all, but one of their foreign players.

The Zimbabwean trio of Tawona Chikore, Tafadzwa Jaravanhi and Frank Mukarati, were all paid directly by the club while the surviving one was paid by the club patron.