At the sports club I had a chance to chat with Highfield United fringe player Fortune “Fokoza” Ncube and Lovemore “Thula” Mapuya from Black Mambas about their future at their respective clubs.
It’s that time of the year once again when newspapers would be awash with transfer rumours. It’s that time that clubs would be dangling carrots to lure players from other clubs.
There will be a lot of pushing and shoving between clubs and players; the latter seeking greener pastures while clubs would be jostling to beef up their teams ahead of the new season or in preparation to take part in the Champions League or the Confederations Cup.
From the discussion that we had, you could tell that Zimbabwean footballers have developed a system of studying their contracts before putting ink to paper.
Ncube, who still has a year at Twalumba, was actually contemplating leaving the club, but is it possible after he signed a two-year contract last season? Yes, but only if he negotiates a new move within a contract. But this scenario favours the clubs more than players who would be forced to dance to their tune.
At least football players must have the ability to read and write so that they can make informed decisions when it comes to contractual agreements.If you turn the hands of the clock some years back, you would be reminded that a number of promising players had their careers ruined by failing to understand the types of contracts that they had signed.
Highlanders players Dazzy Kapenya, Charles Chilufya, Blessing Gumiso and Thabani Masawi almost ruined their careers when they dumped Bosso to join Sporting Lions. They spent a number of months sitting on the sidelines as Bosso barred them from playing for their new club.
A similar incident happened to Macreza Navaya who had to spend the entire season without playing for his new club Highlanders after Zimbabwe Saints said he was still their player.
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Navaya lost that touch which had made Bosso go for him and he only played two seasons at the Bulawayo giants who later offloaded him to Lancashire Steel.
The wire manufacturer had him for a season before selling him to Division One side Ziscosteel. He was later transfer listed. Navaya is now jobless and has turned himself into a cobbler and watch repairer in Gweru.
The same happened to Justice Majabvi when he tried to leave Lancashire Steel for DeMbare. Lancashire Steel ordered DeMbare not to use him until the case was resolved by the courts of law.
As we speak, former Shabanie Mine striker Albert Mbano has dragged the club to court after they made him believe that they had bought him a house as his signing on fee in 2007, only to be told to vacate the house after hanging his boots. The club has since repossessed the house.
Players and the so-called managers are usually excited by big figures but do not take into consideration the length and other benefits of the contracts they sign.
Players should measure twice and cut once when it comes to contracts as this would definitely have a bearing on their future career prospects.
By Brian Nkiwane
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