A MUTINY at Dynamos yesterday entered its second day as players refused to train to press for payment of outstanding bonuses, putting the team’s Chibuku Super Cup semi-final match against Manica Diamonds in danger.
The strike began on Wednesday as players refused to take part in a training session.
Players who spoke to NewsDay Sport said they will not budge until they are given their dues which include winning bonuses.
An address by club chairperson Moses Maunganidze who tried to persuade the players to return to training “while their issue is being looked into” failed to yield the desired result as players stood their ground.
Some players said they are owed around US$500 each, while others claim the Harare giants are still to settle signing on fees, an assertion that Maunganidze refuted.
“They are saying they will pay us all the bonuses at once at the end of the season but we are not comfortable with that arrangement,” a senior player said.
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“We know they will renege on this promise. We know the beast that we are dealing with. We have some players whose contracts are ending at the end of the season and once they are out of the picture, they will not get their monies. The club has used this trick before and there are some former players who have been owed for years, so we cannot fall into the same trap.”
Maunganidze confirmed that they owed players their bonuses, but had a gentleman’s agreement to settle it at a later date.
“Yes we owe the players winning bonuses for about five games,” Maunganidze said.
“However, the agreement was to pay them once-off at the end of the season. If you still remember, we paid them winning bonuses for the first half of the season in June-July as a once-off payment. Then we agreed with them to do the same for the second half of the season at the end of the term. We are shocked to see them staging a sit-in for a matter that we thought had been addressed.”
The impasse is threatening the team’s Chibuku Super Cup semi-final engagement with Manica Diamonds scheduled for Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.
Dynamos are the defending champions and, with the Harare giants out of the race for the league title, the tournament is their only route to some silverware this term.
Success in the Chibuku Super Cup will mean a quick return to the Caf Confederations Cup for Dynamos after a disappointing first round exit from the continent's second tier club tournament this year.
The other semi-final pits last season's finallist Ngezi Platinum Stars against Simba Bhora at Baobab Stadium tomorrow.