United Stars players boycott training

Rundu-based United Stars Football Club (FC) players have boycotted training over a salary dispute with management. All 27 players registered with the premiership outfit have decided to stay away from training since Monday, apparently because the team made some deductions from the their salaries after the team lost two games. Some of the player’s salaries were deducted for apparently not featuring in some of the league games. Amounts deducted from the player’s salaries range between N$700 to N$1 500. Due to that salary cuts all the players resolved to stay away from the training grounds until such time that the team management refunds them their outstanding monies. Some players, residing outside the town of Rundu, have already packed their bags and gone back to their villages. United Stars’ team captain Miguel Manaza confirmed to this news agency on Wednesday that the players have indeed stopped training, until the team management pays back their monies. Manaza said the issue of deducting player’ salaries for losing games and for not featuring in league games, is not stipulated in the contract which the players signed with the team. He said players are supposed to get their full salaries regardless of whether they win or lose games. He said as per the contract they signed, players are also supposed to earn a winning bonus of N$200 per game won. “We have boycotted, and they should refund us before we start training,” said the United Stars captain, who added that they also have bills to pay and families to support. One of the goalkeepers Lloyd Nalisa said the players are unhappy with the fact that they are paid their salaries in cash instead of it being deposited into their banks accounts. Nalisa stated that the players are further demanding that the newly appointed chairperson of the club Wencislaus Kasera and incumbent coach Paul Mallembu should be removed from their positions so that the club can appoint new people who are competed to run the Rundu-based premiership outfit. The players said they want their axed coach David Snewe to be reinstated, as they do not understand why he was removed from that position in the first place. Snewe, who last season fought to ensure that the club remained in the country’s top-flight football league, was relieved of his duties apparently because the club could no longer afford his salary, which remains undisclosed. The team’s spokesperson Daniel Namwira confirmed on Wednesday that the players have indeed boycotted training over their salary deductions, but quickly added that the team’s management was due to convene an urgent meeting sometime this week to iron out the issue. United Stars FC has seven points in five games played thus far. Approached for comment, Kasera said on Wednesday that all players received their salaries in full. Kasera stated that he was not aware of the players boycotting training, saying that the players have been given leave from training until this coming Monday. United Stars will resume their Namibia Premier League matches on November 22, when they play Civics FC. RUNDU- NAMPA