BY TERRY MADYAUTA
HARARE giants Caps United are set to lose midfielder Innocent Mucheneka who is on the verge of joining ambitious FC Platinum.
Mucheneka joined Caps as a free agent after his contract with Chicken Inn had lapsed.
The 29-year-old, however, did not play a single competitive match for the Green Machine after the 2020 Premier Soccer League programme failed to take off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mucheneka’s departure will come not as a surprise to the Caps United’s faithfuls, considering his frosty relationship with the club leadership.
The former Chicken Inn man was one of the players who had a fall-out with Caps owner Nhamo Tutisani in June last year by demanding outstanding salaries.
After several efforts to get their dues were ignored, Caps players resolved to besiege Tutisani’s offices.
There was a fiery exchange between Tutisani and Mucheneka in particular who demanded clearance for him to leave the club.
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FC Platinum are flexing their financial muscle to try and beef up their squad for the Caf Confederation Cup.
The platinum miners, already with deep pockets, were also boosted financially by the sale of Perfect Chikwende to Tanzanian side Simba SC.
Caps have been struggling to pay players during the time they have been inactive.
Some players have resorted to money games to augment their earnings.
Caps could also be losing out on Ian Naomi, whom they had borrowed from Chapungu.
The speedy forward was on a year-long loan, but two weeks ago he was in Tanzania for trials at Simba SC.
FC Platinum prodigal son Rodwell Chinyengetere has returned to the Zvishavane side following a failed stint at South African side Baroka FC.
The two-time Soccer Star of the Year was reduced to a bit-part player at Baroka and was previously sent on loan to FC Platinum during the 2019 season.
At that time, he seemed like a spent-force. However, he returns as Norman Mapeza’s first signing of his new tenure.
Mapeza is making a raft of changes to the squad left behind by Heindrikus Pieter de Jongh with a number of players set to be off-loaded.
And after losing Chikwende, Mapeza is keen to add more firepower to his arsenal.
Already the duo of former Ngezi Platinum Stars forward Donald Teguru and ex-Dynamos full back Blessing Moyo are in Zvishavane to complete their moves to the club.
The platinum miners are set to play in the play-off on February 14 and 21, with FC Platinum playing at home in the first leg.
How they will navigate their way past the Senegalese remains to be seen when they meet this unfamiliar outfit.
The Mapeza-coached side dropped down to the second-tier continental club competition after they were booted out of the Champions League by Tanzania’s Simba SC.
Follow Terry on Twitter @madyautatpm
