Sports / Soccer
Dembare fans planning to boycott today's match
25 Mar 2018 at 10:19hrs | Views
Dyanamos fans are planning to boycott today's Castle Lager Premiership match against Shabanie Mine at Rufaro Stadium and instead demonstrate outside the stadia.
The Glamour Boys, who lost their first match of the season 1-0 away to 2015 champions Chicken Inn last weekend, are in turmoil because of star forward Christian Ntouba's industrial action.
The Cameroonian missed the game against the Gamecocks in protest of his outstanding signing-on fees and salaries from last season.
DeMbare owe the striker $16 000 and the club has failed to raise the funds to honour the debt.
Last week, Ntouba trained with his teammates but a solution has not been reached with his management team.
Ntouba's manager Gilbert Sengwe told the Daily News on Sunday that nothing has changed regarding the striker's position with the club.
"We are just waiting for Dynamos to get back to us but nothing has materialised yet. Christian has been very patient since last season but the club kept giving him empty promises.
"The boy is now at a stage where he is now fed up with the empty promises and if nothing happens today, he will not play against Shabanie."
Dynamos secretary general Webster Marechera refused to comment on the matter while president Kenni Mubaiwa was not reachable.
With the prospect of missing their marquee striker for the second game in a row due to the bungling by the club bosses, DeMbare fans are now planning to stay away from Rufaro today.
Some are saying they will attend the match but will not pay to enter the venue and will just sing and picket outside.
"All over the world football fans have the right to demonstrate against anything that arouses their anger," one fan Lovemore Mushangwe wrote on Facebook.
"There is no transparency and accountability and soccer being a game of emotions, we are bound to show our displeasure.
"Dynamos is not being run well and their business strategies are prehistoric and outdated. To demonstrate is also a show of love.
"We are just saying please run this institution better; we are sick and tired of everything."
Dynamos Supporters Association chairperson Benjamin Munzira tried to persuade the fans from the demonstration by releasing a statement yesterday.
"Whilst we appreciate the role we play as the club's supporters, it is my desire to urge all of us to shun from participation in carrying out any of the threats and demonstrations that have been planned by some sections of our supporters.
"The protests are understood to be around issues to do with the club administration," Munzira said.
"Our role as supporters remains that of giving maximum support to our beloved club; more so in these trying times. Let us all continue to assist the club however we can; wherever possible.
"We would like to distance ourselves from those sections of supporters mobilising mass protests against the club management on social media."
However, Munzira's efforts have not been welcomed with some fans claiming that he has been "captured" by the club executive.
"Munzira we appreciate your effort but you are missing the point in fact I think you are among those who receive fat cheques and forget about the players," Timothy Zimuto said.
"The issue is about players' money. These big men up there need to be honest and transparent for the sake of the club.
"How can a big club like Dynamos run without an office? No auditing of the money; nothing! Let's be honest, this club must be sold to proper minded people; people who have a vision and brains."
While DeMbare is a house on fire, the same cannot be said about their opponents today, Shabanie Mine.
The Chinda Boys opened their 2018 campaign with 1-0 win over triangle at Mandava Stadium last week with David Temwanjira netting the all important goal.
"We are not reading much into the problems at Dynamos. As Shabanie, we also have our own problems," Shabanie coach Takesure Chiragwi told the Daily News on Sunday.
"Whoever is going to play for them is a Dynamos player.
"We are not worried about names on the team sheet but we have to play a good game if we are to get a positive result."
Today: Herentals v Highlanders (NSS), Triangle v Ngezi Platinum (Gibbo), Dynamos v Shabanie Mine (Rufaro), Bulawayo Chiefs v CAPS United (Luveve)
The Glamour Boys, who lost their first match of the season 1-0 away to 2015 champions Chicken Inn last weekend, are in turmoil because of star forward Christian Ntouba's industrial action.
The Cameroonian missed the game against the Gamecocks in protest of his outstanding signing-on fees and salaries from last season.
DeMbare owe the striker $16 000 and the club has failed to raise the funds to honour the debt.
Last week, Ntouba trained with his teammates but a solution has not been reached with his management team.
Ntouba's manager Gilbert Sengwe told the Daily News on Sunday that nothing has changed regarding the striker's position with the club.
"We are just waiting for Dynamos to get back to us but nothing has materialised yet. Christian has been very patient since last season but the club kept giving him empty promises.
"The boy is now at a stage where he is now fed up with the empty promises and if nothing happens today, he will not play against Shabanie."
Dynamos secretary general Webster Marechera refused to comment on the matter while president Kenni Mubaiwa was not reachable.
With the prospect of missing their marquee striker for the second game in a row due to the bungling by the club bosses, DeMbare fans are now planning to stay away from Rufaro today.
Some are saying they will attend the match but will not pay to enter the venue and will just sing and picket outside.
"All over the world football fans have the right to demonstrate against anything that arouses their anger," one fan Lovemore Mushangwe wrote on Facebook.
"There is no transparency and accountability and soccer being a game of emotions, we are bound to show our displeasure.
"Dynamos is not being run well and their business strategies are prehistoric and outdated. To demonstrate is also a show of love.
"We are just saying please run this institution better; we are sick and tired of everything."
"Whilst we appreciate the role we play as the club's supporters, it is my desire to urge all of us to shun from participation in carrying out any of the threats and demonstrations that have been planned by some sections of our supporters.
"The protests are understood to be around issues to do with the club administration," Munzira said.
"Our role as supporters remains that of giving maximum support to our beloved club; more so in these trying times. Let us all continue to assist the club however we can; wherever possible.
"We would like to distance ourselves from those sections of supporters mobilising mass protests against the club management on social media."
However, Munzira's efforts have not been welcomed with some fans claiming that he has been "captured" by the club executive.
"Munzira we appreciate your effort but you are missing the point in fact I think you are among those who receive fat cheques and forget about the players," Timothy Zimuto said.
"The issue is about players' money. These big men up there need to be honest and transparent for the sake of the club.
"How can a big club like Dynamos run without an office? No auditing of the money; nothing! Let's be honest, this club must be sold to proper minded people; people who have a vision and brains."
While DeMbare is a house on fire, the same cannot be said about their opponents today, Shabanie Mine.
The Chinda Boys opened their 2018 campaign with 1-0 win over triangle at Mandava Stadium last week with David Temwanjira netting the all important goal.
"We are not reading much into the problems at Dynamos. As Shabanie, we also have our own problems," Shabanie coach Takesure Chiragwi told the Daily News on Sunday.
"Whoever is going to play for them is a Dynamos player.
"We are not worried about names on the team sheet but we have to play a good game if we are to get a positive result."
Today: Herentals v Highlanders (NSS), Triangle v Ngezi Platinum (Gibbo), Dynamos v Shabanie Mine (Rufaro), Bulawayo Chiefs v CAPS United (Luveve)
Source - dailynews
