FC Platinum players demand Castle Challenge Cup bonuses…raise alarm over ‘mockery’ Z$50 bond CAF appearance fee

FC Platinum players are plotting to take on the club’s executive head-on over unpaid bonuses from last year’s Castle Challenge Cup final which they beat Triangle at Mandava Stadium on December 2, Zim Morning Post can reveal.

The $50 000 Castle Challenge Cup marked the end of last year’s season, featuring the league champions and winners of the Premier Soccer League’s main knockout tournament, the Chibuku Super Cup, Triangle United.

The competition winner walked away with $30 000 and the loser $20 000.

One of the players who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed that the executive has not yet paid promised bonuses for lifting the cup.

“After winning the competition in December the executive has been making promises to give us our share of the challenge cup but they have stopped doing so and now give use excuses. We were supposed to have received the money by now and I would like to believe that the sponsor made the payment way back and the losers Triangle got their money way back yet us as the winners we are yet to get it.

“Yes we get our winning bonuses and monthly salaries but we feel like money that comes from cup games is more like a bonus to the players and also the staff. We expected to have been paid before the festive season but now we are entering a new season with outstanding issues from the previous year,” he said.

In an interview with the club’s public relations manager Chido Chizondo, downplayed the claims.

“We have a standing arrangement for sponsored tournaments and we honour them to the book, everything else is speculative,” she said.

Quizzed to give a clearer answer on whether the players were paid or not, she was mum.

There seems to be more smoke in the Zvishavane based team’s camp that put up a disappointing display in the CAF champions league money spinning group stages.

Some section of players have alleged that they are getting a ‘demotivating’ paltry amount for appearance fees in the CAF group stages.  

Kana ndimiwo blaz (look at it this way my brother) how can a team be inspired to win in such situations where we are getting an appearance fee which is less than $50 (bond) for our home matches. Away matches were better but not what’s expected, for the away matches we were getting US $100 regardless of the number of days you are away.”

Said another player: “In our last away match against Orlando Pirates we played well and put an extra effort to beat Pirates because there was a price tag for beating Pirates unfortunately things didn’t go well for us.”  

Chizondo also downplayed the claims and declared that their players are the most paid in the group stages.  

“We do not disclose contractual agreements because of the sensitivity around them. However we can confidentially say we have the most lucrative player remuneration packages in this group stage,” said Chizondo.  

Meanwhile, Highlanders FC players who were on job action have returned to training after they received their outstanding wages.