The Sunday News
Fungai Muderere
WARRIORS defender Lawrence Mhlanga who for the past two months has showed that he wants out at Chicken Inn, recently went back to Zvishavane were he has been training with his “preferred” club FC Platinum for the past two weeks, Sunday Sport has learnt.
In February, FC Platinum ordered Mhlanga to leave their camp and go back to Chicken Inn to sort out his contractual issue.
Thereafter, the player, with the assistance of the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ), wrote to Chicken Inn seeking termination of his contract, saying he was no longer comfortable with being at the former champions.
Mhlanga insisted that his contract with the Gamecocks expired on 31 December 2016 and the Gamecocks were adamant the player, who signed a two year contract with FC Platinum soon after his return from the Gabon Afcon tournament, had extended his stay at the club by another year.
“Yes, Lawrence has been training with us for the past two weeks but we are yet to register him with the Premier Soccer League. While his case is still pending, he needs to remain fit. Maybe you can call FUZ for more details with regards to his case,” said FC Platinum media liaison officer Chido Chizondo.
FUZ vice-president Hebert Dick could not shed light on Mhlanga’s case referring all questions to Desmond Maringwa who is the association’s president.
“I just saw his (Mhlanga’s) missed calls. Maybe you can call our president Desmond Maringwa,” said Dick.
Spirited efforts to get a comment from Maringwa late yesterday drew a blank. Chicken Inn secretary-general Tawengwa Hara, has previously been quoted saying:
“Lawrence Mhlanga is a Chicken Inn player whose contract expires in December. He signed a contract extension on March 30, 2016. There is a clause that states that in the event that both parties, the player and the club, agree terms six months before the end of his contract, then he will be with us until December 2018.”
“As it is, we have written a letter to FC Platinum, which we’ve also copied the PSL and the player for future reference, asking FC Platinum to stop training with the player and send him back to Bulawayo. We are not laying any complaint against FC Platinum because the player made them believe he is a free agent when he is not. He tried to do the same thing with South African (National First Division) side AmaZulu, who were very professional as they inquired about the player’s status before getting into any deal. Lawrence Mhlanga must come back and face the internal disciplinary hearing for his conduct.”
FC Platinum who earlier on this year signed the quartet of Bret Amidu, Gift Mbweti, Talent Chawapiwa and Agrippa Murimba are in a serious hunt for a central defender.
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