The Sunday Mail
CHAMPIONS Dynamos have cut their salaries by nearly 50 percent as they seek to adapt to life following a reduction in the purse they get from their principal sponsor BancABC.
Dynamos players are now earning an average salary of $650, down from last season’s $1 200.
However, their president, Kenny Mubaiwa, insists DeMbare will still be ruthless despite the cuts as well as the departure of striker Roderick Mutuma for Caps United.
Mubaiwa reckons Mutuma took a step backward. “As for Mutuma, we wish him the best but I don’t think he did his career any good with that move. “You can’t be moving from a very big club like Dynamos to Caps United if you are serious about furthering your career.
“Even his dream of going back to South Africa is now doomed. There are a number of examples which should have dissuaded him, players like (Evans) Gwekwerere.
“Good players, players who are ambitious, move from Caps United to Dynamo like what (Kelvin) Bulaji did,” said Mubaiwa in sentiments that are sure to fire up this afternoon’s pre-season clash at Rufaro.
Meanwhile, the salary cuts at Dynamos are part of broad measures that will also see the club foregoing camping and other “luxuries.” BancABC have been the financial muscle behind the Glamour Boys’ four-year dominance of the local game but have cut their sponsorship package by 43 percent.
The move that will see DeMbare getting $399 000 as compared to the $700 000 they used to get. The cut has already affected Dynamos’ transfer business with the club avoiding to pay premium signing on fees.
Mubaiwa, however, insists that the cuts will not affect morale even as they come at a time when bitter city rivals Caps United are turning the financial corner.
“It is public knowledge that our sponsorship was reduced, but we are working on something so that we can cover the gap.
“We are currently negotiating with about five sponsors and two of those have expressed keen interest in partnering us.
“What we have done is we have packaged our shirt into three categories that is the front – which is occupied by BancABC, the sleeve and then the back. So what we are doing is we are looking for sponsors to take the space on the sleeve and the one at the back.
“As the negotiations continue, we have tentatively resolved to reduce expenditure and that will see us foregoing camping, cutting salaries and signing on fees. But we will quickly revert to our normal position as soon as we get more sponsors,” he said.
That the salary cuts are coming at a time Caps United have struck gold with a one- year renewable management contract with a South African firm, Zing, is a fact Mubaiwa believes will make the league more competitive. Makepekepe’s luring of British coach Mark Harrison, which was spiced by the capture of Mutuma, has turned heads, but Mubaiwa is not losing sleep. “We are not worried with what is happening at Caps United. If you go and ask them today they will tell you that Dynamos is a severe headache for them not the other way round,” he said.
