GU axe Zim goalkeeper over poor performance
Thato Kala | Friday August 22, 2014 12:54
The former Dynamos goalkeeper had a terrible time in the 3-2 loss to Notwane in GU’s opener at the UB Stadium a fortnight ago.
After the setback, it emerged that new coach, Rahman Gumbo had been against the signing of the ex-BMC man. Instead, Gumbo had wanted, Nico Francis the man who guarded goals at Zimbabwe’s Plumtree Chiefs last season. The coach had a short stint with the club and is understood to be an admirer of the young goalkeeper.
“The coach had actually indicated he preferred the goalkeeper from a club he coached in Zimbabwe before coming here.
But management insisted they knew Philip from his time at BMC.
When he did not perform well, they were under pressure, hence this decision to sack the goalkeeper,” said a GU source.
Nhete confirmed being axed by the Reds yesterday and indicated he was planning legal action. He said the club said it was due to poor performance.
“I signed a three-year contract with them and I have been told my services are no longer needed. They have told me I was still under probation for six months,” he told Mmegi Sport.
He said the club told him they were exercising their right to axe him during the first six months if they feel he is not performing.
But Nhete feels he should have been given more time to prove himself. “I believe this is unfair dismissal. The agreement in the contract is that we sit down and discuss matters as this one, but that was never done.”
Nhete made his debut for GU in the Barclays Kabelano Charity Cup.
GU have already lost goalkeeper, Noah Maposa to South Africa’s United FC and may still pursue Francis, who is also said to be on the radar of Harare giants, CAPS United. Francis is still with Chiefs.
Efforts to get a comment from GU were fruitless with the club’s secretary, Hebert Letsebe said to be out of the country on a business trip.
At the time of going to press, Letsebe had not responded to questions sent by email.
GU chairman, Fidelis Nkomazana was also unavailable for comment and was yet to respond to questions sent by sms. Gumbo is in Harare doing his CAF A course and said he was unable to comment on the issue.