CAPS United strike ends
AS they have often done and in what is becoming the order of business at the club, CAPS United players ended their strike, held their only training session of the week yesterday morning, then undertook a road trip to Bulawayo in the afternoon.
CAPS United, who are having a turbulent season, will face rivals Highlanders in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League showdown at Barboufields today.
That game hung in the balance until yesterday when Lloyd Chitembwe’s charges finally returned to the training pitch and held a session at Standard Bank Sports Club.
They later embarked on their journey to Bulawayo where they will be hoping to put behind the latest in their string of clashes with club management over unpaid salaries and bonuses.
It emerged that a meeting between club president Farai Jere, chief executive officer Charlie Jones, team captain Phineas Bhamusi and Chitembwe finally ended the impasse that was also threatening to bring the PSL into disrepute.
The match is set to be beamed live on Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN Prime).
Jones was not at liberty to shed much light except to confirm that they were on their way to fulfilling the fixture.
The Sunday Mail Sport, however, has it on good authority that Jere agreed to make a part payment of what the players are owed, paving the way for the industrial action to be called off.
“We are now on the way to Bulawayo. Everybody who is supposed to be there is travelling and the guys had a good training before we left,’’ Jones said.
Attacking midfielder Thulani Joseph was, however, a notable absentee as he has taken time off to attend to his ill father.
Confirmation of the game also means that CAPS United chief striker William Manondo gets a chance to resume his challenge on the Premiership’s Golden Boot award.
The former Harare City man leads the scoring charts with 14 goals, four ahead of Manica Diamonds’ Nyasha Chintuli.
But for all the troubles at the Green half of Harare, Highlanders assistant coach Joel Luphahla maintains that Bosso will not be fooled into believing that CAPS United will the there for the taking.
“CAPS United have always performed better when they are going through such challenges. If we think that they have not been training for the better part of the week and we relax and believe that it will be a stroll in the park going into Sunday’s game, we will be challenged.
“We have been reading the news about what has been happening at CAPS United, but my boys must not read much into those things,” said Luphahla.
“Bosso are in buoyant mood after finally
remembering how to win on the road, three years on.
They beat Triangle 1-0 in a Chibuku Super Cup first round tie at Gibbo.
“We are confident. The most important thing we need to understand is that at Highlanders winning is not an option.
“We have to win always and coming into this game against CAPS United, I don’t want to put the boys under pressure.
“We have to make sure that we remember how to win in the league.
“We are at home and know that with the preparations we have done, the positive attitude we saw last week ahead of the Triangle
game in the Chibuku Super Cup has remained the same.
“Our game against CAPS United is one where we need to improve our standing from the sixth position. We are trying to push a little further,” said Luphahla.
Bosso will have to make do without some key players, including vice-captain Peter Mudhuwa, who is on suspension, while others are reeling from various injuries.
“I don’t want to sit here and sound like a coach with a lot of excuses.
“At Highlanders, we signed competent players, and I am confident that those selected on Sunday will lead us to a victory,’’ said Luphahla.