'Zvenyika Makonese lied about his age'

SWAZILAND Premiership outfit Manzini Wanderers have hit back at former Zimbabwe international Zvenyika Makonese, saying they pulled the plug on a proposed deal after discovering that he had "understated" his age during trials.

Responding to allegations from the Shabanie Mine defender that Wanderers acted unprofessionally by reneging on a verbal agreement, general manager Patrick Gamedze alleged that Makonese claimed to be 33 years old during trials, but they had stumbled on several media reports that gave his age as 39.

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

"If he had been honest enough, he should have told the public how he claimed to be 33 during trials before the club discovered through research and several media reports, not just one, stating he was 39 years old and approaching 40. This was the very reason the club preferred not to 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 by not agreeing to his listed figures.

"Who in his normal senses would sign a 40-year-old whose football productive years are past his peak. We are not chasing records here; we are looking for productivity, which is results and unfortunately he has to understand he is past his peak. In actual fact, if he is looking for a football pension, my advice is that he should have done his best during his peak days which saw him play for big clubs like (South African giants) Orlando Pirates. Certainly we value him, but he just has to understand this particular fact," Gamedze said.

Wanderers were cautious after facing challenges with the qualifications of their two most recent Zimbabwe-born coaches Shepherd Murape and Julius Chakupewa.

They were forced to part ways with Murape at the beginning of 2016 after he failed to produce a Caf B Licence, which is mandatory to coach in the Swazi topflight league. Chakupewa also allegedly suffered the same fate after delays in receiving his Caf B Licence from the South African Football Association.

Wanderers got rid of all but one of their foreign players, among them the Zimbabwean trio of Tawona Chikore, Tafadzwa Jaravanhi and Frank Mukarati.

Mukarati has since found a new home at South African National First Division outfit Witbank Spurs where he joins the Mubaiwa twins Patrick and Peter and Orlando Pirates striker Tendai Ndoro's twin brother Takudzwa.