Reigning Castle Larger Premier Soccer League champions, Caps United have once again been hit by salary wrangles which saw senior players threatening boycotting training session in protest over unpaid winning bonuses.
According to an unnamed source, Caps United players approached Club Chairman Farai Jere after the Harare City match demanding their March salary and winning bonuses.
Speaking to 263Chat , the Caps United source revealed that players have not been paid their February and March salaries , their winning bonuses as well as match fee for all their CAF games and the ZNA Charity Shield bonuses.
“The situation is too much mdara. Things are tight at the club. Players have not yet been paid their salaries for February and March.
“We have no idea when they will be paid, that’s if they get paid anyway because it’s not promising at all,” the source said.
He further revealed that they were forced to share the little money raised from gate takings which was not enough as games the first two league games have seen a decline in number of fans who come to watch owing largely to the under-performing economy.
After the Harare City game, Caps United players stayed in their dressing rooms hoping to get something from club Chairman, but the source added that Jere only came to assure them that the club was working around the clock to get them their salaries which did not go well with some of the players who demanded to be paid failure they would boycott their next fixture.
Contacted for comment, Jere confirmed to 263Chat that coffers were dry in the club a move which he attributed to the ailing economy.
“Yes it’s true that we haven’t paid our players since February. This is not something new. The boys are fully aware of the situation were are in and they understand that all is not rosy,”
Jere could not reveal how much the club owes the players.
“I cannot tell how much exactly we owe our players but we have a huge wage bill. We do not have the money to pay them. This is a common thing in Zimbabwe. We all know how the economy is performing,” said Jere.
He however seemed unconcerned by the situation at his club.
“This situation is not new. We haven’t paid them so what? We will give them when we get the money but for now, the players have to get used to the current situation,” said Jere.
Salary wrangles are not new at Caps United as players boycotted a league match against Chicken Inn in 2015 owing to outstanding salaries and consequently they had to face a penalty from the PSL.
They are however, not the club in dire need of financial uplift as most clubs are in the red financially.
Both Dynamos FC and Highlanders FC have had to resort to selling merchandise in an effort to raise more money.
Dembare have their bottled water which they are selling to supplement to the ever skyrocketing wage bill.
Bosso recently unveiled 10 kilograms of mealie meal which they are selling at several retail outlets in an effort to raise money.
