Highlanders crisis unsettles Benjani

Highlanders FC coach Benjani Mwaruwari fears his side's prospects in tomorrow's blockbuster derby against Dynamos FC could be severely affected after players boycotted training for a fourth consecutive day over unpaid salaries and bonuses.

The Highlanders squad remained absent from training on Friday despite receiving one outstanding winning bonus a day earlier, insisting that the club must settle all outstanding dues before they return to work.

The players are reportedly owed May salaries and two winning bonuses, while members of the technical team have also been affected by the club's financial difficulties.

The ongoing industrial action has disrupted preparations for one of the biggest fixtures in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League calendar, with Mwaruwari admitting that the situation has left the technical team struggling to prepare adequately for the highly anticipated encounter at Barbourfields Stadium.

"It is always difficult, sometimes the boys are in control. Sometimes if the boys are not training, it's denting a lot of things, like we need to prepare the whole week for a game over the weekend," Mwaruwari said.

"But if we don't train, then a lot of things can go wrong. Hopefully, maybe they will come and train today (yesterday) or tomorrow (today), we don't know.

"We still have to negotiate and try and see if we can persuade them to train and play this game."

The former Warriors captain acknowledged that a lack of preparation could have a significant impact on Highlanders' chances of securing a positive result against their traditional rivals.

"It's difficult to even look for three points when we didn't train for the whole week.

"But the game has to be played.

"So we will see what we can do with the boys if they are willing to train. That is my hope."

The latest dispute comes despite efforts by Highlanders chairman Kenneth Mhlophe to resolve the impasse.

Mhlophe confirmed on Thursday that the club had paid one winning bonus and pledged that the remaining outstanding payments would be settled after the Dynamos match.

However, the partial payment failed to persuade the players to return to training, with the standoff continuing as the countdown to the derby enters its final stages.

The boycott marks the third player protest in as many weeks, highlighting the financial challenges confronting the Bulawayo giants during a critical phase of the season.

With limited preparation time available, Highlanders face the prospect of taking on Dynamos without a full week of training, a scenario that could place them at a disadvantage in one of Zimbabwean football's most fiercely contested rivalries.

Meanwhile, Dynamos coach Genesis Mangombe has dismissed concerns over Highlanders' preparations, suggesting the dispute could be a tactical ploy ahead of the derby.

Mangombe described reports of the standoff as "mind games", indicating that he remains focused on his own team's preparations for the eagerly anticipated clash.