Expelled player claims club tore contract

Thato Kala | Friday July 25, 2014 16:13

Phiri was supposedly given the boot because of indiscipline last week, but the Zimbabwean defender claims there are underlying issues.

“I had signed a new contract that would expire in May next year and was due to receive a P15, 000 signing on fee. I then demanded the money and it looks like this did not go down well with some officials,” Phiri told Mmegi Sport.  

The club’s vice chairman, Kenny Nkape initially denied that a new contract was ever signed. For quite some time, he insisted only a verbal agreement was reached and no contract was signed.

“His old contract ends at the end of July, how does he sign another contract that starts on July 1 before the other ends?” After learning that Mmegi Sport has a copy of the new deal signed on July 1, he then said the club’s secretary signed the deal before the chairman approved it.

 “His contract was coming to an end at the end of this month and we had sat down and discussed his new deal. We had agreed, but the chairman was yet to approve when the secretary signed with the player. It was between him and the secretary and that copy was filed,” he said.

The signature on the new contract is said to be that of Orapa United secretary, Bono Monare.

Nkape said the contract was torn while the player was trying to grab it from him as they were going through files.

But the player claims the official tore it in an effort to destroy evidence of the new deal.

Nkape explained that the former Miscellaneous XI defender recently disappeared for six days, something he has done in the past.

“We looked at his record since he joined the team and realised he had done it in the past. So we told him we could not continue with him and he has taken this issue to lawyers and the media,” he said. Meanwhile, new Orapa United signing, Mgcini Sibanda has rubbed his former paymasters, FC Satmos the wrong way.

Sibanda is aware that Satmos owner Mooketsi ‘China’ Mading is disgruntled about his departure, but said the move had to happen for his own good. “I felt stagnant at Satmos, but I understand China’s frustration. I believe I gave the club my all last season,” Sibanda said.

Mading has threatened not to release the player’s blue book to Orapa United arguing the Premier League side did not follow procedure in the recuitment.