The preliminary round of the 2011 CAF Champions League is to roar into life during the weekend of January 28 to 30.
Dynamos chairman Farai Munesti said they were deeply disturbed by CAF’s delay since they wanted the money to prepare for the 2011 African contest.He said as a club their hands were tied since they could not follow their money as CAF do not deal directly with clubs but with national football federations, and in this case Zifa.
Proceeds from participation in pan-African football are not sent directly to clubs but via national associations who will then hand over the money to the clubs after paying off fines and other CAF requirements.
Munesti said they had approached Zifa to help speed-up the payment process as the popular Harare club does not have the financial resources to embark on the 2011 CAF Champions League journey.
Being one of the top 12 teams in Africa, Dynamos do not have a game in the preliminary stages but will start straight from the first round proper.The Glamour Boys have a proud tradition in the competition that has not been easily earned. In 1998 they reached the final before controversially losing 2-4 to Asec Mimosas of the Ivory Coast.
They reached the group stages the following year before going all the way to the semi-finals in 2008 losing out to Cotonsport of Cameroon.In 2010, they once again reached the mini-league stage but finished last in their group that included eventual champions TP Mazembe of the DRC, Esperance of Tunisia and Entente Setief of Algeria, but not before they had guaranteed themselves US$380 000 for their effort.
Munetsi said he was hoping that CAF would make the payout as soon as possible to help De Mbare alleviate the crisis the 48-year-old club is facing.
